D-backs' Corbin Burnes Reaches Major Recovery Milestone

Arizona Diamondbacks' rehabbing ace Corbin Burnes threw his first bullpen session since sustaining an elbow injury that would require Tommy john surgery in 2025 on Friday, according to a report from AZCentral's Nick Piecoro and José M. Romero.

Burnes told Piecoro/Romero that the session "couldn't have really gone better," and that the pitches were moving in the same way he was used to seeing.

“Obviously, we put so much work into the shoulder strength and elbow strength that we know the velocity is going to show,” he told The Republic. “I think the fact that we threw 15 pitches and probably had 13 strikes -- that’s what I’m looking at.”

Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Burnes Takes Step Forward in Recovery

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo and pitcher Corbin Burnes (right) during spring training workouts on Feb. 10, 2026, at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Burnes was reportedly registering around 91 MPH in terms of velocity, though that is not the main focus at this stage of his rehab. The key for Burnes, he told Piecoro and Romero, is to have his command return to full strength.

The right-hander reportedly estimated throwing 13 of his 15 bullpen-session pitches for strikes.

But for as encouraging as it is to see Burnes pitching off a mound, it's going to be difficult for the ace to miss out on live-game action.

“For a guy who wants to be competing, now that you’ve got a taste of being out on the mound, this is probably going to feel pretty dragged out,” he said.

Burnes told Piecoro and Romero that he will be "slowly and steadily" upping the stress on his arm going forward.

Arizona's ace is still targeting a July return, previously stating a desire to return around the time of the All-Star Break. Each update following that target date has seemed to reinforce the idea that Burnes is on schedule.

"We're still shooting right around the All-Star break," Burnes said on day one of spring training. "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."

Burnes returning to his former ace self would be a massive boost to the D-backs' rotation, although there is a distinct possibility it takes some time for that to happen — even once he returns to a regular season game.

Once he does return, there may be a roster crunch in the D-backs' future. Barring injuries to any of Arizona's other starters (or an aggravation of Merrill Kelly's back issue), the D-backs will be up to seven healthy starters by the time Burnes makes his return. Someone will be pushed out.

But for now, Burnes' bullpen was simply a welcome update.