The Mariners’ rotation chatter has taken a new turn, and this one lands harder than the rest.
Seattle has already been connected to trade discussions involving Emerson Hancock and veteran Luis Castillo, but now George Kirby has entered the mix. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, multiple teams have talked with the Mariners about a possible deal for the right-hander, and Seattle appears open to moving him before the Aug. 3 deadline.
“Multiple teams have engaged the Seattle Mariners on a potential trade for right-hander George Kirby and get the sense he is available and could be moved before the Aug. 3 deadline, sources tell ESPN,” Passan reports.
Kirby would be a significant name to hit the market. The 28-year-old All-Star is under club control through the 2028 season, and that kind of control matters when teams are hunting for pitching. He also brings a track record that makes him one of the more attractive arms available.
This season, Kirby is 8-9 with a 3.98 ERA and 1.3 bWAR across 20 starts. His most recent outing was a rough one, as he gave up seven earned runs in 4.0 innings in a loss to the Texas Rangers. Less than a week later, he’s now being mentioned as a real trade possibility.
Seattle’s situation helps explain why the conversation is happening at all. The Mariners are 53-58 and sit 3.0 games out in the AL Wild Card race. They’re also 3.0 games behind the Houston Astros in the AL West.
The club still has time, but the picture is clear enough: if the Mariners want to get back into the postseason race, they may need to reshape the roster. Their six-man rotation has given them a source of trade leverage, and until now most of the attention had centered on Castillo and Hancock.
Kirby changes the conversation. If Seattle does decide to move him, the return should be substantial.
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