Diamondbacks Lose Corbin Burnes for 2025 After Tommy John Surgery

Corbin Burnes, the Arizona Diamondbacks' star pitcher signed to a six-year, $210 million contract, will miss the remainder of the 2025 MLB season and likely most of 2026 due to Tommy John surgery. Burnes, who had an impressive 2.66 ERA in his first 11 starts, left a game early after feeling elbow pain, and surgery was confirmed by team manager Torey Lovullo, with renowned surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache performing the procedure. This injury severely impacts the Diamondbacks' chances this season, as they currently hold a .500 record but face a challenging NL West and have a starting rotation ranked near the bottom of the majors. The team may need to consider selling at the trade deadline or targeting other pitchers such as Sandy Alcantara or Tyler Mahle to fill the void left by Burnes. The injury also highlights the risks associated with large, long-term contracts for pitchers, contrasting with teams like the Mets who avoid such commitments and have found success through bargain acquisitions. Burnes' injury ends his streak of five straight Cy Young Award top-8 finishes, marking a tough start to his tenure with the Diamondbacks.