Diamondbacks receive diagnosis for A.J. Puk, who will be re-evaluated in 4 weeks

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed reliever A.J. Puk has suffered a left capsule sprain in his shoulder and will be re-imaged in four weeks, manager Torey Lovullo announced on Friday.

Puk neared a long-awaited return from elbow surgery, making his last few rehab appearances in Triple-A Reno. He last pitched for the Diamondbacks on April 17, 2025, but he was shut down with shoulder discomfort after his last outing for Reno on June 5.

He and the Diamondbacks sought a second opinion on his imaging. Four weeks from Friday would push him to the middle of July for re-imaging.

Puk is the latest Diamondbacks pitcher to suffer an injury setback, as Corbin Burnes was shut down from his rehab progression due to a teres major strain in his throwing shoulder earlier this month. On Friday, the D-backs placed starter Ryne Nelson on the injured list with a right elbow sprain.

“We’re trying to ask ourselves that question internally, and it’s hard to say the reason why,” Lovullo said of the continued struggle to keep pitchers healthy. “I think it’s been happening all over Major League Baseball.”

How much of the season will be left by the time Puk returns is a concern, considering he will need to build back up to a certain degree once cleared to throw again. The southpaw will be a free agent at the end of the campaign.

The Diamondbacks’ bullpen has managed to perform well in the absence of Puk and fellow rehabbing reliever Justin Martinez, who threw his eighth bullpen since his Tommy John surgery this week. Puk and Martinez split saves early last season before injuries crushed the bullpen.

Since May 1, the D-backs have the fifth-best reliever ERA at 3.03.

 

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