D-backs' Corbin Burnes Opens Up About His Rehab

The ace is still on track, but he's looking to shave off time.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes is interviewed by the media at Chase Field in Phoenix on Sept. 29, 2025. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If Arizona Diamondbacks injured ace Corbin Burnes had his way, he'd be back on the mound in March. Unfortunately, that's not a realistic target date for a pitcher who underwent Tommy John Surgery in early June of 2025.

On day one of spring training, Burnes spoke to reporters about his recovery timeline and the difficulties of sitting out the start to a season.

"We're still shooting right around the All-Star break," Burnes said. "If it was my timeline, it would be end of March. I tell them that every day, and they don't think it's funny at this point. I think we're still good for that mid-July.

"I'm gonna try to make it sooner. Every day I'm in here, I try to make it sooner. I still got some avenues, I think I can cut out some time and get back sooner, but that's TBD as well, when we get to those points."

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Arizona Diamondbacks Corbin Burnes On His Rehab

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes is interviewed by the media at Chase Field in Phoenix on Sept. 29, 2025. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Burnes said he's currently on a "de-load" week, and is "a little over a month" out from beginning bullpen sessions.

"A lot more bullpens than I would normally throw leading into the season, obviously with the rehab progression in a couple months," Burnes said. "But everything's been good, no issues so far. Everything feels great. Ball's coming out of hand well, so I'm happy with that."

"If it was up to me, I'd be throwing bullpens already. But the training staff's done a good job of keeping me slow and not trying to rush me back."

Losing so much time to an injury can be an extremely difficult thing to accept for an elite pitcher, especially the likes of Burnes. The right-hander said that sting wasn't quite as sharp thanks to his wife and three kids, however.

"I had three little kids and my wife at home that were like, 'Hey, if you're going to get hurt, at least you get to be home with us all the time.' So, I think maybe initially it was tough, just because you're not going to be around the guys, playing and getting to do what you love," Burnes said.

"But the minute you go home and see those three kids hugging you, they don't care what's going on. They don't care that you're hurt. They don't care that you're playing. Getting to spend that time with them has been huge. My girls are now 19 months old.They're walking, they're trying to talk. Like, a lot of the time I would have missed had I been in season, so getting to be around, that's been awesome."

But when players began to trickle back into Salt River Fields, with a new season awaiting, that's when it hit. It's the first time in Burnes' lengthy career he won't be fully able to join in the spring festivities.

"You see all the guys start coming back in for spring training. It's the first year to start a season I haven't been healthy. First year I won't be on the active opening day roster. So, it was tough," he said.

"You see guys come in, throwing bullpens, sitting there watching, trying to help guys the best you can, but you're sitting there throwing 100 feet that day... So, it was tough. That was the first time that's happened to me.

"Having to kind of swallow that pill and know that my time's gonna come. I just gotta keep putting in the work that's gonna get there. But yeah, that was definitely probably the one point this off-season and in this rehab process. Like, damn, this kind of stinks."