Diamondbacks Ace Corbin Burnes Leaves Start With Elbow Discomfort Against Nationals

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Corbin Burnes exited Sunday’s start against the Washington Nationals in the fifth inning with elbow discomfort, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters after the game. Burnes called for the trainer after allowing a single to Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams. He will undergo an MRI on Monday.

Before the single by Abrams, Burnes had tallied 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out six of the 19 batters that he faced. Reliever Jalen Beeks would subsequently allow an inherited runner to score, with that runner being charged to Burnes.

Burnes’ velocity on his final two pitches was identical, clocking in at 91.5 mph with both pitches being cutters. Burnes’ velocity across the entire game was down by nearly a tick compared to his norm.

The 30-year-old entered Sunday with a 2.72 ERA (153 ERA+) and a 2.28 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his first ten outings. His contributions had been worth an estimated 1.9 Wins Above Replacement, according to the calculations housed at Baseball Reference. Burnes had tallied nearly six innings per start to date, including in each of his last five starts.

Burnes signed a six-year deal worth $210 million with the Diamondbacks over the offseason. He had been a reliable workhorse in recent years, averaging 31 starts from 2021 to 2024. Burnes had also finished in the top five in Cy Young Award voting five years and counting, even last season, the first (and only) season of his career that he spent in the American League.

After beating the Nationals 3-1 on Sunday, the Diamondbacks have a 28-31 record on the season, which puts them in fourth place in a competitive National League West. Burnes adds to the pitching injuries the Diamondbacks have suffered, which include Jordan Montgomery, Blake Walston and Eduardo Rodriguez.