Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) made his third minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Tacoma on Friday night and allowed four earned runs on 10 hits (two home runs) while walking none and striking out four in four innings pitched. While the results weren't all that great for Kirby in this one, the primary takeaway is that he didn't suffer any setbacks with his shoulder and hit 97.5 mph with his four-seam fastball. The 27-year-old hasn't been a big strikeout guy to this point of his career, but he's useful in fantasy for his pinpoint control, and he has yet to walk any of the 21 batters he's faced so far on his rehab assignment. Kirby is getting closer to making his 2025 season debut, but he only threw 64 pitches on Friday night, so it would make sense for the M's to give him one more rehab start. If Kirby is available on your league's waiver wire, pick him up now.
George Kirby To Make Another Rehab Start On Friday
Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) said he will make another minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Tacoma on Friday at Triple-A Albuquerque, which will potentially put him in line to make his 2025 debut with the Mariners next Thursday in Houston against the division-rival Astros. In his second rehab start with Tacoma on Saturday, Kirby gave up three runs on four hits while walking two and striking out five in three innings. The 27-year-old looked sharp, though, with his fastball topping out at 97.6 mph while he mixed in his splitter and knuckle curve. He threw 36 of his 54 pitches for strikes. Kirby was initially shut down on March 7 with right-shoulder inflammation in spring training, which led to his first career stint on the IL to begin the season. While Kirby's strikeout rate leaves something to be desired, he's one of the best at limiting walks in the big leagues and should be stashed in all fantasy formats.
George Kirby To Make Second Rehab Start On Saturday
Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) will make his second minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday and will make one more rehab start after that, according to general manager Justin Hollander. Kirby is getting close to being ready to make his 2025 season debut after looking sharp in his first rehab assignment with Tacoma on Sunday, allowing an earned run while walking none and striking out four in three innings. The 27-year-old topped out at 97.8 mph with his sinker in his first game action since Feb. 26 in spring training. Kirby was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and hasn't had an ERA above 3.53 in any of his first three MLB seasons. He's a control artist with a mediocre strikeout rate, but Kirby should be rostered in all fantasy leagues with his 2025 debut coming sooner than later in the month of May.
Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) made his first minor-league rehab start on Sunday for Triple-A Tacoma and allowed just one earned run on a solo homer while walking none and striking out four in three innings of work. It was the first time that Kirby had taken the mound since Feb. 26 in spring training due to a right-shoulder injury. The 27-year-old was able to throw 33 of his 42 pitches for strikes while topping out at 97.8 mph. Barring a setback with his shoulder injury, the Mariners are expecting Kirby to need only two or three rehab starts before he comes off the 15-day injured list for his 2025 season debut. The former 20th overall pick in 2019 out of Elon University was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and hasn't posted an ERA over 3.53 in any of his three MLB seasons. Kirby has impeccable control but a below-average 23.3% strikeout rate. Still, he needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues.
Mariners "Hopeful" They'll Have George Kirby In Late May
Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said that the team is "hopeful" they'll see right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) back with the team by the end of May. Dipoto said the plan for Kirby is to make "at least two, maybe three" minor-league rehab starts. Kirby could start his rehab assignment as early as this weekend if he's feeling good, so his 2025 season debut is on the horizon. The 27-year-old was forced to start the regular season on the injured list due to inflammation in his right shoulder that initially cropped up in spring training in March. Although fantasy managers would like to see more with Kirby's strikeout rate, his impeccable control alone makes his rosterable in all leagues when he's healthy. He was a first-time All-Star in 2023 in his second MLB season and went 14-11 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 179:23 K:BB in 191 innings (33 starts) a year ago.
George Kirby "Feeling Great", Could Throw Again On Sunday
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (shoulder) felt great after completing his bullpen session on Monday and is expected to throw again on Sunday. After the session, Kirby noted that he "felt great" and described his session as "nasty." Fantasy managers should monitor his status over the week, as Kirby could be cleared to embark on a rehab assignment this weekend. The 27-year-old has been sidelined since the start of the campaign due to right shoulder inflammation. While the right-hander will need to increase his workload significantly before being in contention to return to the majors, this was a great step in the right direction. Fantasy managers should continue to stash Kirby in all standard formats as he will carry solid SP2 value in all formats when he returns. Last summer, Kirby held a 3.53 ERA with a stellar 1.07 WHIP across 191 innings of work.
George Kirby Set To Throw Live Batting Practice On Monday
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (shoulder) is slated to throw live batting practice on Monday. This will be the first time he faces live hitters since being shut down with this shoulder injury in March. The 27-year-old was diagnosed with right shoulder inflammation. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status after his session, as this is an important step in his recovery process. If he continues to perform well, he could eventually be cleared to embark on a rehab assignment in the coming weeks. Last season, the right-hander held a strong 3.53 ERA with an impressive 1.07 WHIP across 191 innings of work. While he only tallied 179 punchouts, his elite control gave him significant value in all formats. When he does return, he will carry a solid SP2 value as he should improve your WHIP ratio.
Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby (shoulder), who has been away from the team for almost a full month due to right-shoulder inflammation that caused him to be shut down in early March, is scheduled to face hitters for the first time in a live batting practice at T-Mobile Park this week, a source told MLB.com's Daniel Kramer. The 27-year-old has thrown multiple bullpen sessions at the team's spring training facility in Arizona but is now ready to face live hitters. When Kirby began throwing on March 21, he was hopeful for a late-April return, but now it's looking like he won't make his 2025 season debut until May or June. Until then, the M's expect to continue using right-hander Emerson Hancock in their starting rotation. Fantasy managers need to continue being patient with Kirby and keep him stashed in an injured-list spot in all formats.
Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) "felt great" during a bullpen session over the weekend, according to general manager Justin Hollander. Kirby will throw two more bullpens this week and then start a more traditional game progression. The Mariners don't have an official timeline for Kirby to make his 2025 season debut, but it sounds like May is more likely at this point. The 27-year-old started the year on the injured list after being diagnosed with inflammation in his right shoulder back in early March in spring training. It caused most fantasy managers to pass on the former first-rounder in drafts, but he's been making good progress and might only have to miss the first month of the season. Kirby is an elite control artist and will be valuable in all fantasy leagues once he's healthy, but he's also sported a below-average strikeout rate in his three big-league seasons.
The Seattle Times' Ryan Divish reports that Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) played catch in camp on Friday. Kirby was diagnosed with right-shoulder inflammation on March 7, and this is the first time he's thrown a ball since then. It's progress, but the 27-year-old will still open the 2025 regular season on the injured list. However, barring a setback now that he's throwing again, he may not miss much time and could make his season debut by mid-April. While Kirby should still be rostered in all fantasy leagues despite the fact he won't be ready for the start of the season, the injury certainly makes him a little less attractive in fantasy drafts this weekend for a pitcher that has had a below-average strikeout rate in his three major-league seasons. Stash him as a No. 3/4 fantasy starter to begin the year.
George Kirby
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Mariners
