Arizona’s push for the final National League Wild Card spot took another hit in San Diego, where the Diamondbacks placed right-hander Corbin Burnes on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation. Burnes had been lined up to start Saturday night against the Padres, but the club will now need to piece together those innings while trying to close ground on Philadelphia.
Burnes’ return runs into another delay
The injury is the latest setback in what has been a long road back for the 2025 free-agent signing. Arizona committed six years and $210 million to Burnes before the 2025 season, but he made only 11 starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June of last year.
The initial expectation was that Burnes could rejoin the rotation around this season’s All-Star break. A right teres major strain suffered in June changed that timetable, however, and his first appearance of the season did not arrive until Sept. 8 against Kansas City.
- Burnes opened his season with three scoreless innings in a start against the Royals.
- Across his following two outings, he surrendered nine earned runs over 7 1/3 innings.
- He was scheduled to face San Diego on Saturday before the shoulder issue put him on the shelf.
Arizona may need a bullpen-built answer
The Diamondbacks had not identified a replacement starter for Saturday’s game. A bullpen game is among the options, a choice that would put added weight on a relief group already being asked to cover a meaningful late-season contest.
Ryne Nelson could factor prominently. Nelson recently returned from his own injury absence and has been working out of the bullpen rather than in the starting rotation.
Zac Gallen is another potential source of innings. Gallen’s difficult season led Arizona to move him into a relief role earlier this month, and he could be available to help bridge the workload created by Burnes’ absence.
Wild Card race leaves little room for disruption
Arizona is chasing the Phillies for the league’s last Wild Card berth, making each remaining game matter. Losing Burnes removes a veteran starter from a key series against the Padres and leaves the Diamondbacks balancing urgency with the need to protect a pitcher who has already worked through major arm trouble and a delayed return this year.
