George Kirby DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

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.

Per Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times, Seattle Mariners' starting pitcher, George Kirby (shoulder), hopes to resume throwing in a few days. Kirby was shut down by the team earlier this month after experiencing shoulder inflammation that stemmed from his second spring training outing. While he has yet to begin playing catch, he's reportedly continued his lower body and core conditioning while resuming arm-strengthening exercises. It's a critical step for the 27-year-old as he attempts to work his way back to the mound. "I'm hoping to get back up there by the middle of April," said the former first-round pick. Kirby was superb in 2024, authoring one of the lowest walk rates in the league (3.0%). Fortunately, it appears he won't miss too much time. The righty is still going off the boards inside the top 100 of fantasy drafts and, more often, inside the top 75.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (shoulder) received a biologics injection in his right shoulder on Thursday afternoon. The team hopes this injection will help Kirby return to strengthening activities in three to four days. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status. Even though he is expected to open the season on the injured list, he may not face an extended absence. Last summer, the 27-year-old logged a career-high 191 innings and held a 3.53 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP. He tallied 179 punchouts and posted a stellar 3.0 percent walk rate. He generated an above-average 3.44 xERA which suggests he could see some positive regression during the 2025 season. While he is sidelined during the start of the campaign, Emerson Hancock will likely join the starting rotation.