George Kirby's Struggle to Stay Dominant | Seattle Mariners News

Seattle Mariners News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 26, 2026 · 1m

George Kirby’s pinpoint control is still there, but hitters are making contact at an alarming rate—leading to the highest batting average against any qualified pitcher this season. His strikeout rate has plummeted from over 26% to under 20%, and when batters swing at his zone pitches, they connect 87% of the time. While some of the dip may be due to bad luck, his once-dominant game built on velocity, control, and missing bats is clearly fading. For the Mariners, this makes him a tricky asset: valuable due to age and contract, but now more of a reclamation project than a frontline starter…