Corbin Burnes returns to lead Diamondbacks victory over Royals

Corbin Burnes made his highly anticipated return to Major League Baseball on Tuesday night, pitching three scoreless innings for the Arizona Diamondbacks in an 11-inning, 5-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. This marked Burnes’ first appearance since June 1, 2025, following a 15-month recovery from Tommy John surgery and a subsequent shoulder strain.

Burnes threw 57 pitches, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out two. The game remained scoreless until the eighth inning when Geraldo Perdomo hit a sacrifice fly. The Diamondbacks secured the win in the 11th inning following an RBI triple by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and a sacrifice fly by Ketel Marte. Ryan Walston earned his first career win and save.

The victory moves the Diamondbacks to 77-68, giving them a one-game lead in the race for the National League's third wild-card spot. For the Royals, pitcher Noah Cameron provided six scoreless innings in the loss.

Looking ahead to Wednesday's game, the Diamondbacks are expected to use a piggyback pitching plan involving Zac Gallen and Mike Soroka, both of whom are returning from the injured list.