AL DIVISION SERIES: MARINERS VS ASTROS

October 13, 2022

George Kirby

Minute Maid Park

Seattle Mariners

Pregame 2 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: First question for George Kirby.

Q. I don't know how it feels to you, but I was thinking about your first start in Seattle, which is probably like five months ago at this point, and I'm just curious what this whole journey has sort of been like for you and sort of navigating the ups and downs of your rookie year and to be sitting here where you are now.

GEORGE KIRBY: Yeah. I'm super happy with the way the year's gone. I've learned a lot of things, a lot of valuable lessons in games I didn't throw too well. Always trying to learn something from each start and take it into the next one.

Just being able to learn from Robbie and some of the older guys, it's been super great, valuable for my career. We're playing good baseball, so it's fun to see.

Q. Could you even just put into perspective what does it mean to you as a baseball player to get the start in a playoff game and do you remember watching the playoffs as a kid as well?

GEORGE KIRBY: Yeah, I'm super excited, especially going up against the Astros. I'm ready to compete. And, yeah, I dreamed about this as a kid watching games. Honestly, I never thought it would come true, but I'm glad I'm here and I worked hard for it, so glad Skip gave me the ball for Game 3.

Q. Similar question. The idea of not just pitching in the playoffs, but to do that first one in Seattle for the first playoff game they've had in town in 21 years and it's you on the mound for that one, how cool is that part of it?

GEORGE KIRBY: It's exciting, especially for the fans too. It will be great to see how the stadium's filled up, the crowd. I'm just really, yeah, super grateful to get that start and bring some playoff baseball back to Seattle.

Q. How has your routine and preparation at all changed maybe over the past two weeks when you went to the bullpen role in Toronto and then kind of figured that you would rejoin the rotation for this series?

GEORGE KIRBY: Yeah, I wasn't throwing as many bullpens, kind of just doing, throwing each day, getting ready to go out in the bullpen. Just Skip said, you know, just be ready for whatever moment.

So I'm just getting loose every inning, trying to stay ready. It wasn't a whole lot different. I've done it before, it's just been awhile. It was actually kind of cool to be back in that situation.

Q. Not to beat a dead horse, but it feels like we haven't brought up your workload questions in a long time. But you have not just pushed past your innings limit from last year, you've completely obliterated it at this point. Curious, physically, how you feel at this point? Your stuff doesn't look like it's suffered at all, stamina-wise and all that. But how have you sort of handled all that?

GEORGE KIRBY: Yeah, I feel great. I think I've been doing just a great job of recovering during the week, focus on my breathing, and just trying to get ready for each start or bullpen appearance.

Yeah, it's definitely a lot more than I've ever thrown before. I felt it in certain starts, but I've been able to find that last bit of energy when I needed it. My body's been feeling great, so ready to keep going.

Q. Looking back to Saturday in Toronto, what was that experience like for you, looking back a little bit, and how valuable can that be going into Saturday's start, sort of getting that first one out of the way?

GEORGE KIRBY: Yeah, I was super pumped to get in that game. It didn't seem likely that I was going to throw that game. But we got a lot of fight in us and everyone believed in that bullpen, that we were going to come back in that game.

So, yeah, blood was flowing. I was super amped up. Just really cool to make my first save in the postseason. I don't know, it's just a lot of emotions and just glad I got it done.

Q. You talked about taking something away from each start. You only made one outing against the Astros back in July. What can you kind of take away from that and bring into your start on Saturday?

GEORGE KIRBY: I just got to -- I'm still going to be trying to throw strikes as much as I can, but I think it's going to be more quality, strategic strikes, try to hit the corners more often, get in the zone early. That way I can use my off-speed late in the count. Just try and keep 'em off balance.

When they get a guy on base, they're swinging. They're looking to get that guy in. So I just got to do what I can do to limit some good swings and just keep 'em off balance.

Q. Curious if there's anyone on the Mariners team this year that's been really instrumental in helping you with either mentality or how to take on this role especially, if it is earlier in the season or if it's later on as you're heading into this postseason appearance.

GEORGE KIRBY: Robbie's been great. He's been playing for awhile. He's just instilled a lot of confidence. He's always talking to me after a good or bad start just trying to throw the ideas off each other, stuff like that.

But Adam Bernero, our mental skills guy, he's been huge for me. Breathwork's been great and that really allows me just to control myself on the mound and not make the moments too big and just be able to be even-keeled and stay chilled out and find some velo when I need it and do some different breathing stuff there.

But, yeah, those guys have been great.

Q. I have to ask, are your boys going to be at T-Mobile Park? Ticket price has probably gone up a little bit here as I imagined the ask on you to hook those guys up. But what are you expecting there?

GEORGE KIRBY: I helped out most of my fam with the tickets. But I have heard from my buddies, so there will be a crew there. Not as big as the first time, but it will be fun. I'm just really glad they're coming out and supporting me.

Q. You've twice mentioned breathing. Is that a technique you use to calm down or what is it you're referring to?

GEORGE KIRBY: Yeah, I mean your breath kind of controls everything in your body. Makes me be more aware, it makes me think better on the mound. It controls my body, how I'm moving. It's just super important to be aware of that and have that under control. Because if you're not breathing well on the mound you might not be thinking well or you're rushing, all that kind of stuff takes place. So being able to get really good control of your breath is super important for me the last couple years.