George Kirby DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

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.

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.