Arizona Diamondbacks' newest ace, Corbin Burnes, wasted no time making an impact in his spring training debut. The right-hander, who signed a massive $210 million contract with the team in December, was all business as he took the mound for his first unofficial outing.
Burnes struck out all three batters he faced on just 16 pitches during his lone inning of work Friday at Salt River Fields. Talk about setting the tone early! While he mentioned wanting to "knock off the rust," there wasn’t much evidence of any. In fact, he looked sharp and in control, which is exactly what the Diamondbacks were hoping for when they brought him on board.
Getting Ahead of the Game
Unlike many veteran starters who tend to wait before making their Cactus League debut, Burnes actually requested an early start. His reasoning? He wanted to squeeze in an extra outing before the regular season.
Back in 2022, Burnes admitted he didn’t feel fully prepared after making only three official Cactus League starts. It took him a couple of regular-season games to find his rhythm, and he didn’t want to repeat that mistake.
“For me, I’d rather err on the side of getting into games a little bit too early, feel things out, and just know that come that first one, you’re ready to go,” Burnes said. That’s the kind of dedication and preparation you love to see from an ace.
A New Era of Strike Calls?
Besides his dominant performance, Burnes’ outing had another unique twist—Major League Baseball's automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system. This spring, MLB is testing the system, though it won’t be implemented in the regular season until at least 2026.
During Burnes’ inning, with a 1-2 count against Kyle Farmer, he fired a cutter at the bottom of the zone. The umpire called it a ball. But catcher Gabriel Moreno, after a brief hesitation, challenged the call. Within seconds, the video board confirmed the pitch was a strike, overturning the call.
“To be honest with you, I completely forgot about the ABS until I threw a pitch and everyone was yelling at Moreno to tap his head,” Burnes admitted with a chuckle. “I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah. Sure.’ It worked to be a punchout. As of today, I like the ABS. Ask me again after my next start.”
That challenge turned into the second of Burnes' three strikeouts. He had already fanned Brenton Doyle on a nasty sinker to open the game and later sent Ryan McMahon back to the dugout swinging at a cutter to wrap up the inning.
Teammates Take Notice
After the game, Moreno couldn’t help but praise Burnes’ performance.
“Pretty good,” Moreno said with a grin. “Nasty pitches. Cutter was good, sliders, sinkers pretty good. Good command. He’s nasty.”
Hearing that from his catcher must be music to Burnes’ ears. If this is just the start, Diamondbacks fans have a lot to be excited about.
Injury Updates: Del Castillo and Montgomery
On the injury front, catcher Adrian Del Castillo is dealing with what manager Torey Lovullo described as “right arm fatigue.” For at least the first week of Cactus League action, Del Castillo will be limited to designated hitter duties.
Lovullo wasn’t specific about whether the fatigue is affecting Del Castillo’s elbow or shoulder but confirmed that the catcher underwent an MRI and “everything came back fine.” That’s a relief, but it does seem like Del Castillo may have overworked himself leading up to camp.
“He got here early and kept hammering away at it,” Lovullo explained. “I think he might have been asking his body to do a lot and potentially could have been forcing things.”
The plan is for Del Castillo to resume catching in early March, so the team isn’t too concerned about his availability for the season.
Meanwhile, left-hander Jordan Montgomery is also working through an issue, though his delay isn’t as concerning. He’s been sidelined due to a finger injury but is expected to throw his first official bullpen session of camp on Saturday.
Looking Ahead
With Burnes looking sharp and Montgomery on track to get back on the mound soon, the Diamondbacks' rotation is shaping up to be a real force this season. Add in some fresh technology with the ABS system and an early commitment to getting game-ready, and this spring training is already delivering some interesting storylines.
If this is just the beginning, Diamondbacks fans should buckle up—it’s going to be a fun ride!
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