Mariners Injury Updates: When will George Kirby, Matt Brash, more return in 2025?

The 2025 season is underway and interestingly, the Seattle Mariners are seen as an extremely good bet to return to the playoffs after a two-year absence. According to FanGraphs, the M's are even perceived as having an excellent chance of contending for their first ever World Series appearance.

However, as much as talent, mental fortitude, and hard work will play significant roles in bringing such an outcome to fruition, so will avoiding serious injuries, particularly to key players. With this in mind, here's the latest news on how the Mariners' injured list (via MLB.com) currently looks.

RHP George Kirby

Injury: Right shoulder inflammation

We begin with arguably the Mariners' most important absence right now, which concerns George Kirby. Given how crucial the team's elite rotation is to any hope of qualifying for the playoffs, the 2023 All-Star's injury in early March was not good news.

At the same time, however, everyone concerned was just thankful that Kirby's absence is not expected to be anything too lengthy, with a provisional return timeline of early May. This has since been updated to late April, with the Mariners also announcing on Opening Day that he had been placed on the 15-day IL.

RHP Matt Brash

Injury: Tommy John surgery

The loss of Matt Brash for all of 2024 was a crushing blow, with the Mariners losing access to a slider which is considered the best weapon on the pitching staff. And while the bullpen held up reasonably well, it was undermanned and effectively running on fumes by the end of the 2024 campaign.

Brash finally returned to action in the Mariners' Cactus League finale, throwing 12 pitches as he struck out two batters and walked one in two-thirds of an inning. The prognosis for his Major League return is sometime around late April and early May, with him also being placed on the 15-day IL on Opening Day.

RHP Troy Taylor

Injury: Right lat strain

It was a tough break for Troy Taylor, who suffered his injury during offseason workouts, as announced by president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto during his Zoom conference call with the media on February 3. At the time Dipoto, did warn there was a chance the righty wouldn't be ready for the beginning of the season.

Taylor was cleared to resume throwing in mid-February, but never did get to the stage of seeing any Cactus League action. At the time of writing, his expected return date is still to be determined. As with Kirby and Brash, he was placed on the 15-day IL on Opening Day.

RHP Jackson Kowar

Injury: Tommy John surgery

As we've mentioned before, Jackson Kowar isn't infamous in Seattle, per se, but he is still known for being part of the package in return for Jarred Kelenic, Marco Gonzales, and Evan White going to the Atlanta Braves. As if that wasn't frustrating enough, he suffered his injury during spring training last year and has yet to be appear in a regular season game for the Mariners.

Kowar did throw regular bullpens this year in camp, but didn't actually see any Cactus League action. As for when he will finally pitch in a Major League game for the Mariners, there is a sense of ambiguity at this stage, with the timeline merely stating he will be back at some point this year and with him currently on the 60-day IL.

Recent Posts