The Arizona Diamondbacks are getting a major reinforcement at a critical point in their season.

After spending more than a year away from the major-league mound, Corbin Burnes is expected to return to Arizona’s rotation Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. The right-hander has been sidelined since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2025, followed by a teres major strain that delayed his return even further.

Manager Torey Lovullo indicated that Arizona could use a bullpen game on Monday before handing the ball to Burnes the following night. The veteran is expected to be limited to approximately 60 pitches in his first major-league appearance of the season.

Burnes initially hoped to return much earlier in the season. His recovery from Tommy John surgery progressed toward a potential midseason comeback, but the teres major injury forced the Diamondbacks to push his timetable into September.

He made his only known minor-league rehab appearance on Aug. 29, working two innings at Triple-A. Rather than send him through an extended series of rehab starts, Arizona appears ready to see how Burnes handles major-league hitters while gradually increasing his workload.

That approach means the right-hander will have limited opportunities to build himself back into a traditional starter before the regular season ends.

If everything goes according to plan, Burnes could make roughly four starts before the postseason. The Diamondbacks will have to carefully manage his workload, but the hope is that he can progress toward five or six innings by his final regular-season outing.

Burnes’ return could provide a significant lift to a rotation that has dealt with inconsistency throughout the season.

Eduardo Rodriguez has emerged as one of Arizona’s more reliable starters recently, posting a 2.97 ERA over his last six starts. Brandon Pfaadt has also been pitching well during the club’s recent stretch.

The situation has been less encouraging behind them. Merrill Kelly has struggled over his last six outings, recording a 5.85 ERA during that span, while rookie Jose Cabrera has posted an ERA above 6.00 across 19 innings since his strong major-league debut in June.

Burnes should not be expected to immediately resemble the ace who helped Arizona make a major investment in him. Still, even a limited version of the right-hander gives the Diamondbacks another experienced option as they attempt to protect their playoff position.

Burnes signed a six-year, $210 million contract with Arizona before the 2025 season and immediately showed why the Diamondbacks made such a significant commitment.

Before his injury, he posted a 2.66 ERA across 64.1 innings in his first 11 starts with Arizona. He also continued to generate plenty of ground balls while limiting the damage caused by the long ball.

Now, the Diamondbacks simply need him healthy and capable of providing meaningful innings.

With September underway, every game carries additional importance for a team fighting to remain in the postseason picture. Burnes may not be ready for a full workload immediately, but his return gives Arizona another potential playoff-caliber arm at precisely the right time.

His contract also includes an opt-out following the 2026 season. However, after missing most of the campaign and returning with a limited number of starts, Burnes is unlikely to exercise that option. That would leave four years and $140 million remaining on his contract, keeping him under contract with Arizona through the 2029 season.