Kirby's return in sight after velo up in third rehab outing

SAN DIEGO -- George Kirby worked through more kinks than at any point during his Minor League rehab assignment on Friday. But in his third tuneup for Triple-A Tacoma on his road back from right shoulder inflammation, the 2023 All-Star also showed signs that he could be ready to be activated from the 15-day injured list by the next time he takes the mound.

And on Saturday, he was en route to Petco Park to re-join the Mariners, which would be the first time he’s done so during his rehab while the team has been on the road. But the club is not yet ready to say if he’ll be inserted into the rotation, presumably Thursday in Houston being the soonest possible option.

“It's a little bit fluid, but we'll obviously get it nailed down as soon as we can,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.

On Friday, Kirby was up to 97.5 mph over four innings, with four strikeouts -- two apiece on his four-seamer and slider. But he also surrendered four earned runs on 10 hits, including two homers, the first being a massive 437-foot homer from Kirby’s second batter of the night, slugger Sam Hilliard. Kirby was also taken deep by Braxton Fulford for a 405-foot shot in the second inning.

Against his final batter, Kirby worked out of a bases-loaded jam by going high-and-in on a 96.1 mph heater that Warming Bernabel punched off his hands into an inning-ending groundout.

That came directly after Kirby was nearly hit by a comebacker from Hilliard that instead appeared to nick his glove instead of leg, which he then flipped to first base a little late. The bang-bang play ended with Tacoma manager John Russell being ejected for arguing with the first-base umpire.

In some ways, Kirby got the full experience of pitching in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, where offense -- and especially homers -- are commonplace. And that’s especially true in Albuquerque, where the elevation (5,312 feet) is higher than that of its MLB affiliate in Denver (5,280 feet).

Kirby threw 64 pitches (48 strikes) with zero walks among 21 batters faced on Friday, an increase from 54 pitches in his second rehab outing and 42 in his first, which should put him in line to take another increase -- potentially to the 80-pitch range -- his next time out.

That could come as soon as Thursday in Houston, where the Mariners open a four-game series to wrap their three-city, 10-game road trip that began on Friday in San Diego and continues next week against the White Sox.

Kirby’s absence has become even more pronounced in the wake of Bryce Miller being placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with right elbow inflammation, joining Logan Gilbert, who has been sidelined since April 26 with a mild right elbow flexor strain. Gilbert, who threw his first bullpen session since the injury on Tuesday, is with the Mariners in San Diego and was seen playing light catch on Friday then going through running drills.

When he does return, at least for his first few starts, Kirby will be operating on a six-day routine instead of the standard five-day, as part of an effort to ease him into action and monitor his workload.