The Seattle Mariners, known for leading Major League Baseball in starting pitchers’ ERA last season with a stellar 3.38, faced a setback as young talent George Kirby was sidelined due to shoulder inflammation. It is expected that Kirby will start the 2025 season on the injured list.
George Kirby, a right-handed pitcher, had participated in only one Cactus League appearance this spring, pitching for one inning on February 26 and throwing 20 pitches. During this outing, he allowed one run and issued two walks. The decision to shut Kirby down was announced by Mariners general manager Justin Hollander on Friday. This decision came after Kirby reported feeling discomfort and failed to recover following recent throwing sessions. While imaging tests revealed no structural damage, the presence of inflammation necessitated rest for Kirby, despite his strong desire to continue competing.
Kirby has battled shoulder inflammation in the past during his minor league career, with previous instances leading to him being sidelined during the COVID-shortened 2019 season and later placed on the injured list due to shoulder fatigue while pitching for Single-A Everett.
Hollander anticipates that Kirby will require approximately two weeks to recover and gradually work his way back to a starter’s workload. As a result, Kirby is likely to miss the initial days of the season and may begin on the IL. The Mariners aim to manage his recovery carefully to ensure he is fully healthy for the remainder of the season.
In the 2024 season, Kirby performed impressively, achieving a 3.53 ERA with 179 strikeouts over 191 innings, ranking sixth among American League starting pitchers and contributing to the Mariners’ league-leading team ERA of 3.49 (tied with the Atlanta Braves). Despite this setback, the Mariners possess pitching depth, sparking discussions about potentially trading pitchers to bolster an offense that struggled in 2024.
Emerson Hancock is expected to fill the void left by Kirby in the Mariners’ rotation, joining Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo. The Mariners are set to kick off the 2025 MLB season on March 27 by hosting the Athletics in a four-game series.
