The Seattle Mariners are heading into the final stretch before Monday’s 3 p.m. PT trade deadline with more than one front on their mind. They’ve already been linked to possible moves involving their rotation, and now George Kirby has joined the list of names drawing outside interest.
According to a report on "X" from ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan, multiple teams have "engaged" in talks with Seattle about the right-hander, and the belief is that the Mariners are open to moving him. That adds another layer to a pitching market that already included right-handers Emerson Hancock and Luis Castillo as potential trade chips.
Seattle’s rotation has become its obvious area of depth. The club currently has six starters on the major league roster, plus two top 100 prospects - left-hander Kade Anderson and right-hander Ryan Sloan - with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers. With help expected back from the injured list in the coming days and weeks, the Mariners are also looking for outside upgrades as they try to reverse course.
Kirby stands out in a few ways. He’s a homegrown arm, drafted in the first round in 2019 out of Elon, and he reached the majors in 2022.
Since then, he’s been one of Seattle’s most reliable starters, frequently working near the top of the rotation. He also made the All-Star Game in 2023.
The numbers help explain why he’d attract attention. Kirby, 28, is in his second year of arbitration and is making $6.55 million this season.
He’s under team control through 2028. On the mound this year, he has a 3.98 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 120 innings over 20 starts.
Across his career, he owns a 3.65 ERA with 728 strikeouts in 757.2 innings over 132 starts, and he has six quality starts in his last seven outings.
There’s also the contract angle. Logan Gilbert, Seattle’s Opening Day starter the past two seasons, is believed to be more likely than Kirby to land a long-term extension with the club, which could help explain why the Mariners may be more inclined to listen on Kirby. Gilbert was selected by the Mariners in the first round one year before Kirby.
Among Seattle’s rotation pieces, Kirby may be the most attractive name for another team. Hancock has only one "full" season as a starter, and Castillo is older, coming off a disappointing year and carrying a salary of over $22 million. That combination could make Kirby the pitcher with the strongest trade return.
The Mariners entered Saturday at 53-58, sitting third in the American League West and three games back of both first place in the division and the third wild card spot in the American League. With several roster needs and the deadline closing in, Seattle appears to be weighing one major move that could change the direction of its season.
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