The Arizona Diamondbacks are battling to remain in a final NL wild-card spot and are only half a game ahead of the San Diego Padres, but with veteran ace Corbin Burnes slated to make his long-awaited return to the rotation on Tuesday, the D-backs could get a boost in a tight wild-card race. 

Burnes has been out of action for more than 15 months. He exited a start against the Washington Nationals on June 1, 2025 after experiencing pain in his elbow, which required him to later have Tommy John surgery. He was expected to return in June of this season, but underwent a setback with a shoulder strain. 

He completed a rehab assignment on Aug. 29 and pitched two solid innings and is working to ramp up his pitch count. He will undergo another rehab assignment with Triple-A Reno on Sept. 5 before he makes his late-season debut. 

With the Diamondbacks rotation being heavily taxed this season with critical arms such as Zac Gallen and Ryne Nelson sidelined, Burnes' return comes at a time when he can help to stabilize the rotation. The former NL Cy Young winner's return could be game-changing as the team could use his leadership and successful track record as they look to make the postseason. 

The return of frontline starter Corbin Burnes could be vital for the Diamondbacks 

While he only has a small sample size with the Diamondbacks, in 2025 he logged a 3-2 record with a 2.66 ERA and prior to 2025, he earned four consecutive All-Star nods from 2021-2024. 

In 2024 with the Baltimore Orioles he recorded a career-high 15 wins and in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers he owned the best ERA in the NL at 2.43.

When Burnes does return, his workload will be limited as he will be on a strict pitch count.

Burnes owns a 3.15 ERA with 1,114 strikeouts and a 1.07 WHIP across 968 innings. He also led the NL in strikeouts (243) in 2022. If the Diamondbacks successfully clinch a postseason berth, Burnes could also be a vital weapon who has a 1-2 record with a 2.33 ERA and 25 strikeouts across nine appearances in the postseason.

Burnes will be returning to a team that has shown resiliency as they lead MLB with 41 comeback victories, one of their recent ones being where rookie Ryan Waldschmidt hit a walk-off home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 8, showcasing their grit against the two-time defending World Series champions.