The Diamondbacks may have got Merrill Kelly back while in Baltimore. But Arizona still currently have a full dozen players on the injured list. They are evenly split between hitters and pitchers, but two-third of them are on the extended 60-day injured list. With an off-day today, I thought it was a good opportunity to go through the list, and see what the status is of each wounded snake.
Corbin Burnes (IL-60)
It was June 1st 2025 that Burnes threw his last pitch for the D-backs, Tommy John surgery following shortly thereafter.
His rehab progress has been steady, though there was never an expectation he would be back in less than a year. The last update from the team had Burnes throwing a twenty-pitch bullpen session on the last day of March. It’ll be a process, Burnes gradually mixing in pitches other than fastballs, and also seeking to build his stamina back up. He could be a valuable addition in the second half, though Jack suggests caution. As Jack does. 🙂 Expected return: All-Star break.
Jordan Lawlar (IL-60)
Probably the most unfortunate injury of the year, Lawlar was hit by a pitch from Atlanta’s Osvaldo Bido, in the same game where he hit his first major-league home-run. While initial X-rays were negative, further examination revealed a fractured wrist, meaning he will be out for 6-8 weeks. Jordan had started off 6-for-18, and had acquitted himself well as an outfielder too. Lawlar seemed to have turned the corner after his rough early time in the bigs, so hopefully he’ll be able to sustain the momentum when he returns. Expected return: late May.
Lourdes Gurriel (IL-10)
The initial expectation was that Gurriell would miss 9-10 months after surgery last September to repair his torn ACL. However, he has speed-run the healing process: indeed, he wanted to be part of the Opening Day roster. Wiser heads prevailed there, but he is now on a rehab assignment with the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles. We’ll see how long it takes from there. The maximum length of an assignment like that is twenty days, but I’d not be surprised to see Gurriell back sooner. However, he will probably be DHing initially for the D-backs. Expected return: end of April.
Tyler Locklear (IL-10)
After coming over from the Mariners at the deadline, Locklear hit the IL on September 8, following an unfortunate collision at first base with base runner Connor Wong of Boston. At that time, it was just described as elbow inflammation, but things were apparently worse than originally expected. He ended up having surgery on both shoulder and elbow in early October. There hasn’t been any updates – good or bad – since the beginning of spring training, but his total absence from the preseason would indicated he’s still certainly some way off. Expected return: late May.
Justin Martinez (IL-60)
Not long after ace starting pitcher Burnes had Tommy John in June, we got the news that ace closer Martinez would need more or less the same procedure. He started playing catch in January, but does seem to be a little behind Burnes in his rehab progress. Just before Opening Day, he was still throwing on flat ground, rather than off a mound. That it’s Martinez’s second Tommy John, having previously had the procedure in 2021, may be a factor in him taking additional time to come back. Expected return: late August.
Cristian Mena (IL-60)
Mena has been plagued by issues the past couple of year. In 2024, he was shutdown with a forearm strain at the end of July. The following year, he was done after the first week in June, injuring his right teres major – or “shoulder muscle” as we laymen call it – during the rainy debacle in Cincinnati. It was hoped he would be healthy by spring. But, instead, he was shut down in late February, after suffering more discomfort in the same area. Come the end of spring, he was put back on the 60-day IL, and there has been nothing since. Expected return: no date.
Gabriel Moreno (IL-10)
Since coming to Arizona, Moreno has averaged only 97 games per season. It was just 83 last year, due to a fracture in his right index finger. While the current strained left oblique, incurred on a throw down to second base, isn’t a major injury, it continues an unfortunate trend. As we’ve seen with other players, obliques are potentially tricky things. If Moreno rushes back, it could backfire. So I’ve a feeling he is going to be out for a bit more than the minimum ten days. Expected return: end of April.
A.J. Puk (IL-60)
There’s a couple of reasons Puk will be back before his fellow elbow surgery victims. His injury happened earlier in 2025: he threw his last pitch almost exactly one year ago, on April 17. But his procedure was also different: an internal brace, which is more repair than reconstruction. That has a shorter rehab time, although like Martinez, it is also Puk’s second go around. He previously had Tommy John surgery in April 2018. A.J. has been throwing bullpens, and obviously, stamina will be less a concern than for Burnes. Expected return: mid-June.
Andrew Saalfrank (IL-60)
It appears the baseball gods have not finished punishing Saalfrank. While he had a successful return after serving a gambling suspension, his pitch velocity was well down on previous figures. He pushed through shoulder soreness, but the issue did not resolve itself over the winter. Surgery to clean out the shoulder proved necessary, and that took place in February. It turned out to be the first in a series of dominoes, which ended in the 2026 D-backs bullpen being free from lefties. Expected return: 2027, if there is even a season.
Carlos Santana (IL-10)
I’ve a feeling the oldest active position player in the majors won’t be hurried back. It is only the veteran’s second IL spell since 2014: he missed time in 2022 with ankle bursitis. But when Santana went on the injured list with a right adductor strain, he had gone just 2-for-24 through his first eight games. Ildemaro Vargas and Jose Fernandez have done considerably better than that in Santana’s absence. If that continues, there is a non-zero (though small) chance the team could decide simply to cut bait when Carlos is healthy. Expected return: early May.
Pavin Smith (IL-60)
Smith’s elbow had been a source of bother throughout spring training. He was a late scratch on Opening Day in LA, and though he played in the rest of the first series, the issue lingered. A cortisone shot and rest didn’t fix things, and it was announced on Tuesday that he would have surgery to clear out “loose bodies” in his left elbow. This typically has a recovery time of 6-8 weeks, explaining why the team was able to free up a roster spot for Aramis Garcia by moving Pavin to the 60-day IL. Expected return: mid-June.
Blake Walston (IL-60)
Remember him? He made seven appearances for the team back in 2024. But Walston then had Tommy John surgery in March the following year. On that basis, you’d expect him to be nearing the end of his rehab. However, he got dropped back on the 60-day IL at the start of the season, so is clearly going to miss at least another two months. Unlike everyone else on the list, I was unable to source any updates on Walston’s progress, or lack thereof. I’d be expecting reports of bullpens by now. Still, until proven otherwise, I’m going to assume that no news is good news. Expected return: mid-June.
