Mariners star George Kirby was drilled in the face by a 102.7 MPH line drive on Tuesday night — but somehow, he was able to leave the game under his own power.
The scene unfolded in the fifth inning of Seattle’s tilt with the Orioles at T-Mobile Park … when Ramón Urías smacked a Kirby four-seamer right back at the All-Star pitcher.
George Kirby with a line drive off of his face pic.twitter.com/1FB0IlRBUh
— Jared Barth (@jared_barth1998) June 4, 2025
@jared_barth1998
Kirby wasn’t able to move out of the way quickly enough, and the ball hit him right in the jaw. It ended up caroming to first baseman Rowdy Tellez, who secured the inning-ending out — but all eyes then turned toward Kirby.
Miraculously, the 27-year-old didn’t seem too bothered by the play — although blood did immediately start pouring from his lip. He walked to his dugout and was tended to by trainers.
He ultimately did not return to the game — though with his pitch count already at 95, it was unlikely he’d take the mound for the sixth anyway. After the game, he insisted to reporters he was all good.
“It didn’t even hurt, honestly,” Kirby said, according to MLB.com. “It got my hand — like 50/50, hand/mouth, but we’re good. There’s nothing wrong with it.”
Still, Mariners manager Dan Wilson said Kirby would likely undergo further testing to make sure everything was OK.
Kirby’s, of course, no stranger to injuries — he sat out all of April and nearly the entire month of May dealing with a shoulder issue — but it seems he dodged a bullet here.
Breathe easy, Mariners fans!
