With a second shot at their first World Series, the Seattle Mariners have decided to turn to George Kirby for the franchise’s first-ever Game 7 on Monday night. After a 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 6, manager Dan Wilson confirmed the starter for the deciding ALCS matchup at the Rogers Centre. The Game 7 winner will move directly on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series starting Friday.

Meanwhile, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller are expected to be available out of the bullpen. However, the entire Mariners nation is insisting at the moment that Bryan Woo should start instead of Kirby.

According to many, if not most, Woo is a better option largely because Kirby nearly held an ugly 8 ERA against the Blue Jays in the last game.

Game 7 will mark Kirby’s fifth career postseason start and only his first on the road. But he does have some high-pressure experience in Toronto.

As a rookie, he made his first and only professional relief appearance in the ninth inning to help close out the Mariners’ stunning 10-9 comeback over the Blue Jays in the 2022 AL Wild Card Series.

With the Mariners never having reached this far in the ALCS, they’ll be relying on Kirby to help the team clear the final hurdle this October.

But clearly, if you ask the Mariners’ fans, they have already come to terms with the idea that, with the team’s pitching decision, the series feels all but lost.

Mariners fans are done backing the team’s questionable decisions

“Good lord. Mariners are not a serious franchise,” a fan summed up what many felt. The Mariners are actually putting their season in George Kirby’s hands. Clearly, he hasn’t earned the trust of fans yet. But interim manager Dan Wilson didn’t even overthink it. He spoke with confidence when he announced, “George Kirby will be on the mound for us in Game 7”. Further, he also added that it’s his spot and “all hands on deck” behind him.

On a game that’s yet to be played, another Mariners’ longtime fan noted, “Congratulations to the Blue Jays on a Game 7 victory.”

Another fan sarcastically put their frustration, “😂 Kirby? Wow, it’s over. W– would Kirby be in a game like this?” Most fans had fully expected Bryan Woo, not Kirby, to get the nod for the do-or-die Game 7.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays nation is celebrating the Mariners’ choice. “Hope kirby has the same performance as his last start. LET’S GOOO BLUE JAYS!! Chase kirby off the mound.” Apparently, when Kirby last faced the Blue Jays, they jumped on him early, attacking first pitches and hammering anything over the plate. A five-run third inning flipped the game, and he never quite recovered after that.

Another fan noted, “CANT WAIT TIL VLADDY TAKES HIM YARD.” Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains the biggest threat in the Blue Jays lineup. Kirby didn’t shy away from admitting it either. “He’s a good hitter… we have ideas how to attack him and we just got to get inside a little, make him feel uncomfortable.” That approach only works, though, if Kirby can consistently hit his spots — front-hip fastballs to jam him, offspeed pitches that fade off the zone, and absolutely nothing left over the middle twice in a row.

Now, it all comes down to whether this decision backfires on the Mariners or pays off.