SEATTLE — In an eventful game, Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby had to leave Tuesday night’s 5-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles after being struck in the right thumb and mouth by a line drive.
Following the incident, Kirby reported feeling relatively well, stating that he did not experience pain despite some swelling on one side of his mouth. “I didn’t even see it coming,” Kirby recalled. “Just put my hand up. So, just glad it kind of missed any of the bad spots on my face.”
The injury occurred with two outs in the fifth inning when Kirby threw a fastball toward Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias, who hit the ball sharply back up the middle, resulting in a painful collision with Kirby’s face. The situation escalated quickly as blood could be seen flowing from his mouth, prompting immediate attention from the Mariners training staff. Manager Dan Wilson described the moment as “scary,” expressing relief that Kirby was able to walk off the field on his own.
Though Kirby was not able to return for the sixth inning—having already thrown 95 pitches—he had demonstrated considerable skill on the mound, allowing only two runs during his five innings of play. This outing marked a significant improvement for Kirby, who had struggled with an 11.42 ERA in two games since returning from the injured list due to shoulder inflammation.
Kirby expressed satisfaction with his performance, sharing, “I feel great right now. Obviously, you don’t want to throw that many pitches in five innings, but I’m glad I feel really good from it after.” His positive outlook is encouraging for the team, as Wilson plans to assess Kirby’s condition with X-rays on Wednesday.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Wilson remains confident in Kirby’s resilience, indicating, “George is a competitor. A lot of times, these things can make you stronger, and that’s what I expect from George. Again, hopefully it’s nothing serious and it’s just kind of a bump in the road.”
This incident serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of sports, but it also highlights the spirit of perseverance that athletes like Kirby embody. Fans and teammates alike are hopeful for a swift recovery for the promising right-hander.