Seattle Mariners Pitcher George Kirby Shrugs Off 103 MPH Line Drive to the Face
Seattle Mariners Pitcher George Kirby Shrugs Off 103 MPH Line Drive to the Face

Published: June 4, 2025

Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby is doing "okay" after taking a line drive to his face on Tuesday night, leaving him with blood dripping from his mouth. However, the 27-year-old right-hander barely flinched and casually walked off the field as soon as the play was over.

"It didn't even hurt, honestly," Kirby said afterwards. "It got my hand — like 50/50, hand-mouth, but we're good. There's nothing wrong with it."

Kirby appeared to put his right hand up to protect his face just in the nick of time, partially blocking the ball's initial trajectory towards his jaw and slightly deflecting it up near his mouth. Without the ball clipping his hand, the 102.7 mph line drive hit by Baltimore's Ramón Urías would have hit him full-force in the face.

"I didn't even see it coming, just put my hand up," the pitcher explained. "I'm just glad it kind of missed any of the bad spots on my face."

According to MLB.com, the Rye, N.Y. native had a "noticeable bruise and cut on the right side of his mouth" after the game. As Kirby walked off the field under his own power, he looked to be feeling around the inside of his mouth with his tongue. Mariners trainer Rob Scheidegger placed a towel up to his face to help sop up some of the blood, which began trickling down the right side of his jaw.

Kirby's Close Call

The outing was just Kirby's third game since returning to the Mariners from the team's injured list. Seattle ultimately lost, 5-1.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson called Kirby's close call a "scary moment" after the game, according to Seattle Sports.

"That's always a scary moment," Wilson told reporters. "It's just so close, and you just hope for the best."

The Mariners manager also said he was worried Kirby's nonchalant reaction might have been due to "adrenaline," and that he'd be thoroughly evaluated by the team's medical staff, according to MLB.com.

"You just don't know, sometimes, how those things go," Wilson said. "Because you have a lot of adrenaline going at the same time. But was just glad, I'm really happy that and hoping things turn out OK. And it could have been something way worse."

If all turns out well, Kirby is scheduled to be back on the mound on Sunday, June 8 against the Los Angeles Angels.

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