Corbin Burnes, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ ace pitcher, exited Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals in the fifth inning due to discomfort in his right elbow. After conceding a base hit to CJ Abrams, Burnes appeared in visible pain and motioned for the trainer, reportedly stating that his elbow felt “done” and “dead.” He exited the game after throwing 70 pitches, having allowed one walk and recorded six strikeouts over 4⅔ innings.

Burnes is scheduled for an MRI on Monday to assess the extent of the injury. Manager Torey Lovullo expressed significant concern about the injury, noting it was more serious than previous issues. Burnes, who signed a six-year, $210 million contract with Arizona during the offseason, reported increasing tightness and velocity reduction in his pitching arm during the game.

Despite Burnes’ early exit, the Diamondbacks secured a 3-1 victory over the Nationals, marking only their second win in their last 11 games. Eugenio Suárez powered the Diamondbacks early, hitting a 466-foot two-run homer in a three-run first inning. The bullpen performed well, with Cristian Mena, Shelby Miller, and Justin Martinez combining for 4⅓ shutout innings to secure the win.

Burnes, a four-time All-Star and 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner, has performed well this season with a 3-2 record and a 2.66 ERA over 11 starts. His injury comes amid a challenging season for the Diamondbacks’ pitching staff, already hampered by significant injuries to Jordan Montgomery, Eduardo Rodríguez, and A.J. Puk.

The Diamondbacks will await the results of Burnes’ MRI to determine the severity of the injury and his potential timeline for recovery. In the meantime, the team will look to continue their recent success and navigate the challenges posed by their pitching staff’s injuries.