What’s the latest on Corbin Burnes injury?

Corbin Burnes setback: teres major strain expected to delay return

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Corbin Burnes suffered a significant setback in his rehab after Tommy John surgery. Instead of progressing as planned, he developed a teres major strain behind his right shoulder, which has pushed back his throwing timeline.

The Diamondbacks’ manager, Torey Lovullo, described the news as a likely longer pause from his throwing progression. The most important operational impact is that Burnes will be shut down from throwing work rather than continuing to ramp up.

This matters for Arizona because a pitcher returning from Tommy John typically relies on incremental phases—starting with controlled throwing and moving toward higher intensity as long as symptoms don’t flare. A teres major strain is not a minor issue in that context, since it can affect shoulder mechanics and strength and can extend the period before a pitcher is ready to build volume again.

The setback also compounds uncertainty for the Diamondbacks’ rotation planning in the near term. Even when a team is monitoring bullpen availability and other starts, losing time from a top starter can force additional adjustments to who eats innings and how the staff is managed day-to-day.

So while Burnes’ long-term recovery path is still under discussion, the immediate message from the organization is that his throwing plan has been interrupted. Until he can resume and complete the next stages of rehab without another setback, his availability will remain limited.

Bottom line: Burnes’ return has been pushed back because his shoulder-related injury emerged during rehab, and he’s now expected to be out from the throwing progression until the strain settles.