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Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby was hit by a 102.7 MPH line drive to the face Tuesday night and walked off the field like it was nothing. He even said after the game that it didn’t hurt.
The frightening incident occurred in the top of the fifth of Tuesday’s game between Kirby’s Mariners and the Baltimore Orioles at T-Mobile Park. Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias was at bat with a 1-2 count when he ripped the comebacker that ricocheted right off the Seattle All-Star’s face. Making the scene even more incredible, the ball bounced directly to Mariners first baseman Rowdy Tellez who made the final out of the inning.
George Kirby, who never went down, just casually walked off the field, stretching his jaw with a trickle of blood streaming down his chin, and went into the dugout.
George Kirby just took 102.7 mph off the jaw.
Yikes 🫣 pic.twitter.com/x1ecHt5C9N
— Avi Miller (@AviMiIIer) June 4, 2025
“I didn’t even see it coming, just put my hand up,” George Kirby told the media after the game. “I’m just glad it kind of missed any of the bad spots on my face.”
Kirby left the game after the scary line drive, but was probably done anyway as that pitch was his 95th of the game – the most he’s thrown since his final start of 2024.
“I didn’t even hurt, honestly,” Kirby added. “It got my hand — like 50/50, hand/mouth, but we’re good. There’s nothing wrong with it.”
Mariners manager Dan Wilson wasn’t quite so flippant when talking about the scary scene. He said George Kirby would undergo further evaluation before stepping back on the field again.
“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 okay. And it could have been something way worse.”
The 2023 All-Star was making just his third start this season after missing the first eight weeks with right shoulder inflammation.
“I felt great,” Kirby said about his outing. “Obviously, I don’t want to throw many pitches in five innings. But I’m glad I feel really good from it — after it — so that’s a good sign.”