George Kirby named as 2023 Lefty Grove Award winner

The Philadelphia Athletics today announced that starting pitcher George Kirby is the winner of the 2023 Lefty Grove Award as their top performing pitcher.

Kirby is the rare A's draftee to reach the Majors level and enjoy big success. The 25-year-old was taken by the club with their second round Minors Draft pick at 19th overall back in 2019. 

Breaking into the Majors a year ago, Kirby was the team's sixth starter, winning three games over 10 outings, including four Quality Starts. He allowed just 39 hits across 50 innings with a 2.52 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts.

With the full rebuild that the organization underwent this year, Kirby was asked to step into a leading role, and the right-hander has delivered. He set a new franchise record with 17 Quality Starts (still one outing remaining) across his 24 starts to date. Kirby has won 10 games and allowed just 139 hits over 150.2 IP with 133 strikeouts while fashioning a 3.23 ERA and a fine 1.02 WHIP mark. 

"He is everything we hoped he would be when we drafted the young man," said GM Matt Veasey. "We hoped that he would grow into a rotation fixture, and he looks like exactly that type of starter. A true workhorse."

Kirby joins Stephen Strasburg, who took the honors in 2012 and 2019, Brad Penny in 2007, and reliever Billy Wagner back in 1999 as the only pitchers drafted by the organization who then went on to win the Grove Award.

Fellow starters Brayan Bello and MacKenzie Gore and reliever Bryan Abreu were also among those considered for this year's honors.

Previous winners of the Lefty Grove Award were as follows:

2022 - Aaron Nola, SP

2021 - Chris Bassitt, SP

2020 - Yu Darvish, SP

2019 - Stephen Strasburg, SP

2018 - Edwin Diaz, RP

2017 - Chris Sale, SP

2016 - Julio Teheran, SP

2015 - Kenley Jansen, RP

2014 - David Price, SP

2013 - Yu Darvish, SP

2012 - Stephen Strasburg, SP

2011 - Cole Hamels, SP

2010 - Joakim Soria, RP

2009 - Tim Lincecum, SP

2008 - Francisco Rodriguez, RP

2007 - Brad Penny, SP

2006 - Roy Halladay, SP

2005 - Roy Oswalt, SP

2004 - Armando Benitez, RP

2003 - Mark Prior, SP

2002 - Bartolo Colon, SP

2001 - Freddy Garcia, SP

2000 - Mike Hampton, SP

1999 - Billy Wagner, RP

1998 - John Smoltz, SP