Corbin Burnes focused on command in build-up as way to pick up where he left off

SCOTTSDALE — The next month is going to be perhaps the most difficult of Arizona Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes’ recovery from Tommy John surgery.

On Monday, Burnes went through his second bullpen session since having surgery last summer, throwing to a catcher set up a few feet closer than usual to manage his intensity.

Burnes said he typically throws three or four bullpens and then it’s time to get in a game each spring. This time, he’s going to have to trust the process and stick with bullpen work while his team begins the regular season without him.

“Just the second of many, so just have to stick to the process and build up,” Burnes said. “Got another one Friday, and I think it’s pretty much two a week for the next at least month or so. … It takes a lot for me not to try to fire one off as hard as I can. So you’ve got to trust it and keep the effort level at 80, 85%. It’s just good to get off the slope again. It’s definitely tough to trust the process of slow build to get back to it.”

Corbin Burnes in the bullpen this morning. Catcher set up a couple steps closer. Burnes said he mixed in a few curveballs today in his second bullpen session. pic.twitter.com/hjxoLgPvbm

— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) March 16, 2026

Burnes is not hopping up on the mound and simply looking to move his arm.

He explained that command is a major focus for him in catch play and these early bullpens, as he is thinking about his sharpness when the time comes for him to get back on a major league mound.

“Basically, by the time I’m coming back in the season, I need to be able to be at the top of my game,” Burnes said. “And to do that, I’ve got to be able to command the baseball. You hear a lot of guys, it takes a handful of starts for them to know pitch shapes, kind of where it’s going. So my goal is once I’m back in game, it’s like I never left off. So it’s commanding pitches, knowing the shapes, that kind of thing. So that’s kind of the main focus.”

Burnes said he is not worried about velocity at this stage, considering he’s been working out his shoulder and elbow for months.

The right-hander stuck with fastballs in his first short-box bullpen on Friday but threw a few curveballs in there on Monday and felt good. He expects to mix all pitches into his bullpens within the next two or three weeks.

Burnes underwent surgery in June and maintains that his target is July for a return, a 13-month timeline. The four-time All-Star is holding out hope he can shave some more time once he gets further down the road.

He said getting advice from teammates who have gone through the rehab before like A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez and John Curtiss has helped, as he goes through this process with Puk and Martinez having undergone second elbow surgeries.

“For the most part, it sounds like when guys do feel things, it’s pretty early on,” Burnes said. “So we’re well past that. So now it’s just trusting it and knowing that it’s healed and can kind of build that workload on it.”

Will Gabriel Moreno be ready for Opening Day?

Manager Torey Lovullo said catcher Gabriel Moreno (right forearm tightness) will get into a throwing program next week. The issue is, next week is the start of the season on March 26. Is there enough time?

“It’s not going to be a big ramp-up,” Lovullo said. “We feel very strongly he’s going to be ready for Opening Day.”

Moreno has not caught in a game in a week, but an MRI revealed no structural damage and only inflammation.

Ryne Nelson continues to miss bats

Ryne Nelson has thrown 12 innings in Cactus League with 16 strikeouts and only two walks.

He struck out six batters with one walk in four innings on Monday against the Cincinnati Reds, as he continues to miss bats with the fastball and slider. He also picked a runner off second base, which came in handy as he allowed a solo shot instead of a two-run home run.

“I think I’ve just been working to make some adjustments and get back to feeling in rhythm with everything and consistent with all the pitches,” Nelson said.

“I think today was a good step in the right direction … I think as you go through a game, you have to make adjustments on the fly. When you’re throwing one inning or two innings, you kind of just have what you have that day, but when the game starts to stretch out a little bit, you have to get back into that adjustment mindset and make those corrections and make them fast.”

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