Mariners RHP George Kirby named AL Rookie of the Month for August

Julio Rodríguez isn’t the only Mariners rookie to have major success this year, as starting pitcher George Kirby has been excellent in 2022 since making his MLB debut in May.

Passan: Reasons why Mitch Haniger could stay with Mariners

Kirby has especially been stellar of late, and was been named American League Rookie of the Month for August on Friday.

With Kirby winning the honors, the Mariners have had players earn AL Rookie of the Month in three of the five months this season with Rodríguez taking home the hardware in May and June. Logan Gilbert was named AL Pitcher of the Month in April.

Kirby is the first Mariners pitcher to earn Rookie of the Month honors since Michael Pineda did in his All-Star campaign of 2011.

In five starts in August, the rookie right-hander won four games and posted a 2.15 ERA in 29 1/3 innings, striking out 34 batters and walking just three. Additionally, he has yet to allow a home run since a late-June start against the Baltimore Orioles when he allowed four long balls. In nine starts since that game, Kirby has yet to allow more than four runs and has a 2.17 ERA in that stretch.

Kirby entered the 2022 season as one of the Mariners’ top prospects, as well as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. He was the team’s top pitching prospect entering this season, but a poor spring training on his part and a strong showing by fellow top pitching prospect Matt Brash resulted in the latter earning Seattle’s fifth and final starting rotation spot while Kirby started the year in Double-A.

But Brash struggled with command early in the year and was demoted to Triple-A after five starts. Kirby then was called up and made his debut on May 8, pitching six scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays while striking out seven. Since then he’s been a steady part of the Mariners’ rotation.

Kirby gets the ball on Sunday against the Cleveland Guardians and you can hear that live on Seattle Sports 710 AM. That series kicks off Friday in Cleveland at 4:10 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 3 p.m. on Seattle Sports 710 AM.

Dipoto: Mariners have ‘magnetic draw’ for players after Julio extension

Follow @TheBGustafson