The Diamondbacks will have to rework their rotation against the Cubs. With the two clubs set to meet for a four-game set, Arizona is down two of their top starting pitchers. Both Corbin Burnes and Jordan Montgomery won’t pitch this week.
A schedule issue for Burns
Interestingly for Corbin Burnes, the reason he won’t pitch against the Cubs is due to a scheduling conflict, not an injury.
In an interview on Sunday, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said, “It’s more of a technical error on my part.” He also said, “Corbin is a very routine-oriented player, and I’ve yet to understand that until recently, and he’s got a process, and I respect that, and I blame myself for not getting to know him.”
The Diamondbacks had previously announced that Ace Zac Gallen would get the opening day start over Burnes.
When asked about the adjustment they made to his schedule after it was announced he wouldn’t be pitching opening day, Lovullo said, “We had to recalibrate and get him on the right routine.”
Montgomery will undego Tommy-John
Jordan Montgomery, on the other hand, will be out for much longer. It was reported by Ken Rosenthal on Tuesday that Montgomery will need season-ending Tommy John surgery. The Diamondbacks were trying to trade Montgomery this offseason after he signed with the club in 2024.
Last season was an abysmal one for Montgomery. He put up an atrocious 6.23 ERA and 1.650 WHIP and registered -1.4 bWAR. Montgomery did this while earning $25 million in ‘24, and the Diamondbacks hoped he would bounce back this season to see a return on their investment.
The warning signs presented themselves in spring training as he allowed 5 runs in 3 innings pitched for a 15 ERA. He also walked three batters and only struck out two. Unfortunately, that was a sign that he was not right physically, and the Tommy John announcement today further proves that.
Montgomery will be a free agent in 2026 and will be looking for a team to take a chance on a 33-year-old coming off Tommy John surgery.
A new gameplan for the Cubs
This alters the Cubs’ offensive plan. Instead of facing Burnes, a perennial Cy Young contender, and Montgomery, an excellent pitcher pre-Arizona, the Cubs will face Brandon Pfaadt and Eduardo Rodriguez.
Pfaadt was decent last season for the Diamondbacks. The then 25-year-old threw 181.2 innings with a 4.71 ERA. Pfaadt has been an average pitcher in the big leagues thus far. He doesn’t necessarily stand out statistically, and that’s fine. He is a solid back end of the rotation arm who is being vaulted into action early in the season due to injuries.
Rodriguez is much of the same. His 5.04 ERA in ‘24 was not great, but in just 50 innings of work, it’s hard to be conclusive. Rodriguez isn’t a big strikeout artist, as his 8.5 K/9 mark is below average. His average fastball velocity of 91.9 MPH doesn’t generate many swings and misses. His changeup is arguably his best pitch as that is where he gets the majority of his Whiffs. Additionally his cutter is seen as a plus pitch, and one the Cubs will need to look out for.
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