The Arizona Diamondbacks are searching for solutions to their injury-riddled starting rotation, and one of the largest question marks is that of right-handed ace Corbin Burnes.
Burnes, of course, went down with a significant elbow injury only 11 starts into his Diamondbacks career. That injury would ultimately require Tommy John surgery, which ended Burnes' 2025 season and put him on the shelf for much of 2026, as well.
Burnes had initially intended to return around the time of the All-Star Break, but a setback forced him off that path. A Teres Major strain in his shoulder , unrelated to the elbow that required surgery, pushed him back until nearly the end of the 2026 campaign.
But Burnes, who has always taken an extremely aggressive approach to his rehab, is now nearing a return to major league action. On Saturday night, he made his first official rehab start for the Triple-A Reno Aces. Here's how that went:
May 27, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Adorned in a hot-air-balloon-themed Aces jersey, and making his first appearance in the minor leagues since the 2019 season, Burnes' box score was about as strong as it could have been, albeit without any punchouts.
The right-hander needed only 17 pitches to set down all six of the batters he faced over two frames, allowing no runs, no hits and no walks. He did not manage to pick up any swing-and-miss, but he looked efficient and picked up four of his six outs via ground balls.
Statcast data was somewhat limited, so not every ball's exit velocity was recorded. Of those that were, only one was hit hard -a 107 MPH groundout to the second bater of the game.
Burnes' velocity was, as expected, low. His trademark cutter averaged 92.5 MPH , which is 1.6 MPH down from his 2025 average. His fastest pitch was 93.2 MPH.
That is, more or less, where Burnes will likely sit in his first handful of starts once he does return. If he climbs back into the upper mid-90s, that may not be until 2027.
Burnes' location was a mixed bag. His cutter found some favorable spots, while his changeup and curveball did not seem to be the sharpest. There will be more work to be done in that regard.
But that work may come in the majors. According to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, Saturday night may be his only rehab appearance before returning for Arizona's September 4-6 series against the Houston Astros. If that is the case, he will likely be limited to around three innings.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi as How Corbin Burnes Looked in First Official Rehab Start .
