MARYVALE, Ariz. — After his start against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday at American Family Fields in Maryvale, Ariz., George Kirby drew a lot of attention with his new choice of hardware.

Kirby sported a PitchCom on his belt for his outing. The device, usually worn by catchers, is used to relay pitch selections between hurlers and catchers during a game.

The 2023 All-Star only used the PitchCom 8-to-10 times in his outing out of 55 pitches.

However, it's what the device represents for Kirby that could have the most impact on the regular season.

Kirby approached Seattle Mariners pitching coach Pete Woodworth and the rest of the staff this offseason and spring about using the device.

According to Kirby, he wanted to have a more convicted and confident mindset going into this season and the PitchCom helps him in that regard.

"I've been focused on being able to find more control out there," Kirby said after his start Sunday. "And I feel like when I have this thing, I'm able to be just more convicted when I have that. If I have something in my head, I'm gonna call it right there. I don't want to play the mental game of 'oh, I should have thrown curveball there, slider there,' whatever it may be. I just think having it kind of locks me in more and then I feel like I'm in more control when I have it."

Kirby is coming off his worst season in the majors, although a lot of his struggles were out of his control.

He had a 4.21 ERA and struck out 137 batters in 126 innings pitched across 23 starts.

Kirby missed the first two months of the season due to a shoulder injury that also kept him out for most of that spring. Kirby got better as the season progressed. He registered a new career-high in strikeouts in a start against the Los Angeles Angels on June 8 and matched that total in another start against the Angels on Sept. 14.

As mentioned before, a lot of what happened last season was out of Kirby's control, which is hard to accept for a pitcher who prides himself on just that.

Kirby boasts arguably the best command on the Mariners' starting rotation. His control over his arsenal and the strike zone has led to him being considered a dark horse for the Cy Young award at various points in his career.

But several factors last year, including his injury and the changes to the buffer zone around the strike zone, made the control that's come almost naturally in his career difficult to grasp at points.

Now, with the new automated ball-strike system and the PitchCom, that control can come more freely for Kirby.

The former All-Star's ownership in his game plan won't be absolute. Seattle's All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh, who's currently competing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, will be the captain of the ship, as he always is.

It's still not a for-sure thing Kirby will take the PitchCom into the regular season. Woodworth used the word "testing" a lot when discussing it in a postgame interview Sunday.

When Raleigh returns, there will likely be a lot of discussion between him, Kirby and coaches about the usage of the PitchCom. Maybe even a Cactus League start with Raleigh at the backstop with Kirby on the hill with the device.

But, for a pitcher who's calling card is control, the PitchCom could lead to Kirby pitching as freely as he ever has in his major league career in 2026.

"He's not calling the whole game but it gives him the empowerment to give his opinion when he wants to," Woodworth said after the game Sunday. " ... When he's at this best, he's fully convicted. When he's not, he's in between. ... When he's convicted, he's really good so this is a way for him to be convicted more often than not."

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