ANALYSIS: Seattle Mariners Pitching Staff Hitting Its Stride at Right Time
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SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners offense has received a fair share of attention since the MLB trade deadline July 31.
Entering Wednesday, the Mariners are 4-1 since they acquired third baseman Eugenio Suarez from the Arizona Diamondbacks and revamped their lineup. The team has averaged 5.4 runs a game since July 31.
Despite the praise the offense has received, the identity and strength for Seattle for years has been its pitching staff. And the club's hurlers have been hitting a comfortable stride since July 1.
Since that date, the Mariners are fifth in the majors and fourth in the American League in team ERA (3.63). The staff has the sixth-most wins in baseball over that stretch (17-13) and are tied for sixth in the majors in strikeouts (274).
This is in large part due to better showings from starting pitchers George Kirby and Logan Gilbert.
Since the beginning of July, the pair of former All-Stars have had six combined starts of six or more innings (Kirby four, Gilbert two). Five of those outings (Kirby three, Gilbert two) have been quality starts.
Both starters had respective stints on the injured list this season. Kirby didn't make his season debut until May 22 due to right shoulder inflammation. Gilbert was on the shelf from April 26-June 16 due to a right flexor strain.
Both pitchers have started to return to form after working through their respective ailments. They've been able to go deeper into games more consistently, which has helped the bullpen stay fresh and led to overall success for the staff.
Logan Gilbert, K'ing the Side in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/1ScC4mOsJo
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 23, 2025
"Missing time is hard," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a pregame interview Wednesday. "Those things are difficult. Everybody comes at a different pace. Both (Gilbert and Kirby) have been throwing the ball very consistently, and it comes at a really good time. This is the time of year where you want to be in a good spot and I feel like all of our guys on the staff are in really good spots right now. That bodes well for us as we push into this last part of the season."
Gilbert has has a 3.31 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 32.2 innings pitched across six starts since July 1. Kirby has a 3.07 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 29.1 innings across five starts since July 1, entering Wednesday.
George Kirby (6IP 3H 0R 2BB 6K) was strong over six innings in the @Mariners victory over the Rangers. His knuckle curve was our SP Pitch of the Day pic.twitter.com/6Ar3JhrSAz
— Baseball Prospectus (@baseballpro) August 1, 2025
Coming into the season, the Mariners starting rotation had an argument for being the best in baseball. Gilbert and Kirby are rolling, Bryce Miller has impressed on his current rehab assignment and Bryan Woo and Luis Castillo have anchored the rotation all year. With everyone healthy, the Mariners staff could hit its peak right in time for the playoffs.
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