Corbin Burnes to Face Rangers at Salt River Fields

The D-backs will send their ace to the mound against the Texas Rangers in Scottsdale.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes prepares to throw to the Chicago Cubs in the first inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on March 3, 2025. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks will take on the Texas Rangers at Salt River Fields on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. Arizona time.

Sunday will see another pair of split squad games, with one half still in Las Vegas to face the Athletics, while the rest remain in Arizona, led by bench coach Jeff Banister.

The Diamondbacks will send ace Corbin Burnes to the mound for the home game at Salt River Fields. Burnes has made three Cactus League starts so far, pitching 5.1 innings and striking out eight, while allowing just one earned run.

Burnes will look to get an extra "up-down" on Sunday, as the D-backs' pitching staff continues to ramp up toward the regular season.

The Rangers will call on their own ace, right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi pitched to a solid 3.80 ERA across 29 starts and 170.2 innings in 2024. So far this Spring, he's thrown five innings, with five hits, a walk, a hit-by-pitch and three earned runs against four strikeouts.

Eovaldi throws a diverse arsenal, with a mid-90s four-seam and 88 MPH splitter as his primary pitches. He also throws a cutter, curve and rare slider.

Lineups

Lineups | Alex D'Agostino

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. returns to the lineup for the D-backs, after he was held out longer than anticipated with left hamstring soreness. It was not considered truly "severe," but Gurriel sat out longer than manager Torey Lovullo had initially expected.

Gurriel will man left field, with no. 20 prospect Jack Hurley in center and Randal Grichuk in right.

Eugenio Suárez remains in the lineup as the DH after hitting a grand slam in Saturday's game. Taking Suárez's regular spot at third will be Grae Kessinger, with the utility infield competition in full force. Connor Kaiser, Garrett Hampson and Trey Mancini will hold down the infield alongside Kessinger as they fight for a roster spot.

As for the Rangers, their lineup looks like it likely will on Opening Day, with a slew of major leaguers, including star 2B Marcus Semien, star shortstop Corey Seager, and former Diamondbacks slugger Joc Pederson hitting cleanup. Texas' potent offense could be a challenge for even the most elite pitchers in the game.

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