Diamondbacks Ace Corbin Burnes Faces Tommy John Surgery in $210M Deal Setback

In a devastating blow to the Arizona Diamondbacks, their star pitcher Corbin Burnes is set to undergo Tommy John surgery, just months into a staggering six-year, $210 million contract. The team confirmed the news on Friday after Burnes exited a recent start with what was initially described as elbow inflammation. This is no minor setback—it's a gut punch to a franchise that banked heavily on Burnes to lead their rotation.

Burnes, who inked the richest deal in Diamondbacks history, was showing his usual brilliance this season with a 3-2 record and a sharp 2.66 ERA over 11 starts. But during a game where Arizona was up 3-0, the right-hander signaled distress after allowing a single in the fifth inning, a moment of frustration that now marks the end of his campaign—and possibly his presence on the mound until 2027.

This isn’t just a loss of a player; it’s a loss of a titan. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2020, Burnes has been a force, boasting the second-lowest ERA (2.86) among pitchers with at least 500 innings. His 2021 Cy Young Award, earned with a league-leading 2.43 ERA, cemented his elite status. Now, the Diamondbacks must navigate a future without their ace, a daunting prospect for a team that invested so heavily.

At 30, Burnes had been a model of durability, making at least 28 starts every season since his Cy Young win. His journey from the Milwaukee Brewers to a brief stint with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, and finally to Arizona, had positioned him as a cornerstone for the franchise. Yet, as we’ve seen time and again in baseball, even the mightiest arms aren’t immune to injury. The road ahead for Burnes—and the Diamondbacks—is long and uncertain.