George Kirby 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook: Primed for a Rebound After Disappointing 2025
George Kirby established himself as a fantasy ace over the first three seasons of his career, but his 2025 season was a significant step down from his usual production. It wasn't an ideal situation from the start, as he didn't debut until May 22 after dealing with shoulder inflammation during spring training. The 28-year-old went on to post a 4.21 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 137 strikeouts and 29 walks in 126 innings over the course of 23 starts. However, those ratios are significantly dragged down by a select few appearances. The right-hander allowed 11 runs in his first two starts back, where it's expected that he may have some rust to shake off. After that point, he posted a much better 3.68 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, which don't look nearly as concerning. Additionally, Kirby noticeably improved at missing bats, raising his whiff rate from 24.1% to 26.7%, and his strikeout rate jumped from 23.0% to 26.1%. There's a good possibility for a rebound season in 2026, which would provide good value at his current ADP of 71 as the 17th starting pitcher off the board. He's only two years removed from being regarded as a rock-solid top-10 option at the position, and he'll have the chance to return to that form.
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