Corbin Burns to Undergo Tommy John Surgery

The Arizona Diamondbacks faced a significant setback on Friday as they revealed that pitcher Corbin Burns will need Tommy John surgery. This decision comes after he left a game on Sunday, which was initially attributed to elbow inflammation.

Burns is in his first year of a six-year, $210 million contract—this marks the largest deal in Diamondbacks history and the second-highest given to pitchers during the recent offseason, only behind Max Fried’s $218 million over eight years.

Earlier in the season, Gerrit Cole also recovered from Tommy John surgery, while pitchers like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and others are noted for their high value deals. During the game when Burns got injured, the Diamondbacks were leading 3-0 in the fifth inning when he conceded a single to CJ Abrams. His frustration was evident as he gestured to the dugout.

In his outing, Burns allowed four hits and three runs, ultimately posting a record of 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA over 11 starts this season. His past performance has established him as one of the top pitchers, consistently finishing in the top eight for the Cy Young Award since 2020. He even secured the award in 2021, boasting a remarkable 2.43 ERA that season.

Since stepping into a full-time starter role in 2020, his 2.86 ERA has been the lowest among pitchers with at least 500 innings, second only to Fried’s 2.70. However, the surgery could mean he won’t return until 2027, which complicates things given that Burns has been a reliable pitcher, starting at least 28 games each season since winning the Cy Young Award.

Burns originally began his career with the Milwaukee Brewers before being traded to the Diamondbacks, where he spent only the 2024 season. All of this raises questions about his future, but fans and teammates alike hope for a strong recovery.