SEATTLE -- George Kirby is in peak workhorse form. Andrés Muñoz, meanwhile, is really reeling.
Kirby cleared seven strong innings against a loaded Braves lineup on Tuesday night, then turned a 2-2 tie over to the bullpen, hoping that the Mariners’ bats could claim a late lead or even walk this one off.
But things fell apart in the ninth, when Muñoz fell into a 2-1 count vs. a red-hot Matt Olson, then gave up a backbreaking go-ahead homer that sunk Seattle to a 3-2 loss.
It didn’t help that the Mariners’ offense mustered just three hits and couldn’t build upon a two-run homer from J.P. Crawford in the third, the shortstop’s second in as many games after Monday’s comeback win.
The lineup’s inconsistency is a topic of discussion that’s been dissected at length through the Mariners’ 17-20 start. And their season-high 16 strikeouts on Tuesday compounded that conversation.
But the bigger concern might center on their two-time All-Star closer, who’s now given up 10 earned runs this season -- including three homers -- which raised his ERA to 6.00 in 16 outings.
This is after he gave up just two homers all of last year, racked up a career-high 38 saves and compiled a career-best 1.73 ERA. Muñoz has now been the pitcher of record for three losses in 2026, which matches his entire ‘25 total.
This wasn’t a save opportunity, but it was close to it, as Muñoz was summoned to preserve a tie into walk-off territory. He took over for lefty Jose A. Ferrer, who went 1-2-3 in the eighth. But in a paradoxically better-case scenario, the Mariners might’ve preferred one of Ferrer’s baserunners to reach -- because then he would’ve instead faced Olson to finish the eighth.
Ferrer, who was acquired from the Nationals in the Harry Ford trade, has faced Olson more than all but two hitters over 161 career outings, and has held the elite slugger to 1-for-8 with three strikeouts.
That’s precisely how it came about on Monday, just a tad earlier in the game. Ferrer pitched a scoreless seventh while protecting a 5-4 lead, then came back to face Olson, who led off the eighth and flew out. After that, Dan Wilson turned to Eduard Bazardo.
But that wasn’t in the cards on Tuesday, both for Ferrer’s workload (going one-plus on back-to-back days is not ideal) and Muñoz’s routine (he’s entered with none on and none out in 69 of 72 outings before extra innings since ‘25).
“We thought about it,” Wilson said. “But [Muñoz] threw the ball super well last night. And I thought he was the guy. And [Olson] was able to get him tonight.”
The homer came in a 2-1 count, but it began 2-0 -- which might be the most telling factor. Opposing hitters now have an .884 OPS vs. Muñoz when ahead in the count compared to a .381 OPS when behind.
Muñoz, who preferred not to speak postgame, entered play throwing first-pitch strikes 55.7% of the time, lower than both his career clip (61.3%) and the MLB average in 2026 (60.4%). After Olson’s homer, Muñoz threw a ball on the first pitch to his next two hitters, Michael Harris II and Mauricio Dubón.
“Really, tonight, it was really just one hitter,” Wilson said. “I thought he made some better pitches after Olson and got back to who he was. But yeah, I mean, I think that's what we talk about all the time, is getting ahead and taking advantage of being ahead in the count. And that's always essential with all our guys.”
The pitch itself -- a slider on the outer half of the plate -- wasn’t great. But it wasn’t terrible, either. And Olson crushed it 110.5 mph and 412 feet to the opposite field, into the T-Mobile Pen -- territory that few left-handed hitters have reached at this ballpark.
But that’s the power threat that Olson possesses, now with an NL-leading 13 homers while emerging as an extremely early NL MVP candidate.
Kirby, meanwhile, was spectacular and is ascending into the conversation of the sport’s best workhorses.
He needed just 88 pitches (59 strikes) to clear the seventh, and pulled into a near tie for the MLB lead in workload, now with 52 innings over eight starts that trails only the Yankees’ Max Fried (52 2/3). Kirby has pitched into the sixth inning in each of those outings, too, and is on pace to eclipse the coveted 200-inning threshold this season, should he make all 32 starts.