George Kirby takes important step towards return from injury

The Seattle Mariners’ starting rotation is without two of its horses, but one hit an important mark in his return from injury Sunday.

Seattle Mariners’ Dipoto shares great news about injured starting pitchers

George Kirby pitched three strong innings for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers in his first rehab start since being shut down with right shoulder inflammation during spring training. The right-hander allowed just one run on a solo homer, struck out four and walked none while tossing 42 pitches against the Las Vegas Aviators, an affiliate of the Athletics. Kirby’s fastball and sinker regularly sat at 96-97 mph, and he topped out at 97.8 mph in the first inning.

Kirby, an All-Star in 2023, sat down the side in order on strikeouts in the first. He was his usual strike-throwing self with 33 of his 42 pitches going for strikes, including 18 of 21 through the first two innings. His lone blemish came on a 3-2 sinker that Las Vegas right fielder Carlos Cortes took out to center field with out one in the third.

The Mariners shut down Kirby after he threw one inning in his first start during spring training. It marked the first time the former first-round pick had hit the IL since making his big league debut on May 8, 2022. Opening day starter Logan Gilbert also went on the injured list for the first time in his career on April 26 with a flexor strain in his right elbow.

President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto on Friday told MLB Network’s MLB Now both All-Star pitchers could return this month.

“We’re hopeful that we’re gonna see both this month, which is a little better we had thought initially,” Dipoto said at the end of his conversation with host Brian Kenny.

On Wednesday, general manger Justin Hollander said there wasn’t a hard pitch count Kirby needs to hit before he makes his big league return, but he likely wouldn’t be back until he reaches around 75 to 80 pitches.

Kirby went 14-11 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 179 strikeouts over 191 innings pitched in 33 starts last season. The right-hander is 35-26 with a 3.43 ERA in 89 starts over three MLB seasons. He was an All-Star and finished eighth in AL Cy Young voting in 2023.

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