BREAKING: Elite Seattle Mariners rotation takes significant hit with shocking team’s spring training drama
The Seattle Mariners are facing a turbulent spring, contending with both public criticism from a former player and a major injury to a key starting pitcher.
Justin Turner, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at last year’s trade deadline, criticized the organization for failing to sign a big bat in free agency despite the availability of stars like Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Teoscar Hernández, Anthony Santander, and Alex Bregman.
“They missed the playoffs by just one game, and not adding an impact hitter or two when you have the best pitching staff in baseball is just absurd,” Turner told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
Although Turner wanted to return to Seattle, the team didn’t offer him a contract, leading him to sign a one-year, $6 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.
“As much as I wanted to be back, if I were their only move, I’d still be asking: What’s the plan? Are they even trying?” Turner added. “There won’t be a better opportunity to go all-in. I just don’t get it.”
Turner’s frustration is understandable given Seattle’s offensive struggles. The Mariners ranked 29th in batting average (.224), 22nd in OPS (.687), 21st in runs scored (676), and led the league in strikeouts (1,625) last season. Their weak offense contrasts sharply with one of baseball’s top rotations, featuring Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo.
Now, that pitching strength has taken a serious blow.
All-Star pitcher most likely to begin season on injured list
The Mariners announced Friday that All-Star pitcher George Kirby has been sidelined with shoulder inflammation and is expected to begin the season on the 15-day injured list.
“George hasn’t been feeling great after his outings,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander told reporters, via MLBTradeRumors.com. “During games, he’s throwing well with his usual velocity, but he hasn’t been recovering as expected. We did an MRI, and it looks great—no structural concerns at all. There’s just some inflammation we need to address, so, much to George’s frustration, we’re taking the ball out of his hands.”
Hollander emphasized that the injury is more of a “week-to-week” situation, stressing the importance of prioritizing Kirby’s long-term health over Opening Day.
While fans can take comfort in the fact that there’s no structural damage, there is no clear timeline for his return. This will mark the first time in Kirby’s career that he has landed on the injured list.
In his absence, Seattle could turn to former first-round pick Emerson Hancock, along with Blas Castano and Logan Evans, as potential replacements in the rotation.
Kirby is coming off a strong 2024 season in which he made 33 starts, logging 191 innings with a 3.53 ERA, 104 ERA+, and 1.068 WHIP. He struck out 179 batters while issuing only 23 walks, leading the majors with a 1.1 walks-per-nine-innings rate. However, he also allowed an AL-high 181 hits.