SAN DIEGO – Prudence and patience have been priorities for the Mariners as they’ve navigated arm injuries to George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller, three of their most valuable pitchers.

That’s been especially true with Kirby, who was initially shut down in early March because of shoulder inflammation.

As Kirby nears the finish line of his rehab, the Mariners’ process hasn’t changed.

“We were careful with him from the beginning and wanting to do the right thing,” manager Dan Wilson said Sunday morning. “And I think it’s important now at the end not try to rush things either.”

Kirby built his pitch count up to 64 on Friday night in his third rehab start for Triple-A Tacoma in Albuquerque, touching 98 mph with his fastball.

He was hit around for four runs in four innings, but he mostly shrugged that off; he’s been treating his rehab starts like spring training, and the thin air in Albuquerque makes that a notorious hitters’ haven.

The most important thing, Kirby said, is he’s feels strong coming out of the outing.

“I’ve been bouncing back good and feeling good every time I touch the rubber,” he said.

What’s next?

Both Wilson and Kirby said Sunday that no formal decision had been made about whether Kirby would make a fourth rehab start or be activated off the injured list later this week.

Kirby has been on a six-day schedule during his rehab assignment, and the club has indicated he will likely remain on a six-day cycle once he returns to the Mariners rotation.

That means the earliest he would start for the Mariners, if activated, would be Thursday to open a four-game series against the Astros in Houston.

Given how effective, by and large, Emerson Hancock and Logan Evans have pitched, the M’s could employ a six-man rotation until Miller (elbow inflammation) and/or Gilbert (elbow flexor strain) return from the IL.

“Anything’s on the table at this point,” Wilson said.

Kirby indicated he’s ready and eager to rejoin the big-league staff.

“It’s ultimately up to them,” he said. “But I feel good, so excited for whatever is next. … There’s nothing better than pitching in the big-league stadium with the crowd and everything. I can’t wait.”

On Saturday evening at Petco Park, Gilbert threw his second full-fledged bullpen session since landing on the IL on April 26.

Saturday’s session was an up-and-down – meaning he threw about 20 pitches, sat down to simulate a between-innings rest, and then got up to throw another 15 or so pitches. He touched 95 mph and said afterward he felt good.

“He seems to be progressing as we expected and as he expected, and that’s obviously another really good sign,” Wilson said.

Gilbert is working on a typical spring-training schedule, throwing every third day. He said he expects to throw one more time in the bullpen before progressing to a live batting practice.

Miller landed on the IL on Wednesday, a day after receiving a cortisone shot in his elbow. He resumed throwing on flat ground this weekend, and he was hopeful he would need just the minimum 15-day stay on the IL.

Brash’s new toy

Matt Brash, out all of 2024 after having Tommy John surgery, has been nearly flawless in his first two weeks back in the M’s bullpen.

Brash has made five scoreless appearances, allowing three hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 42/3 innings.

Brash struck out Aaron Judge on three straight sliders in the eighth inning of the Mariners’ victory over the Yankees last Tuesday, and he pitched a scoreless seventh inning Saturday night in San Diego.

“You want to be in those big spots – that’s what I missed all last year, is those spots and throwing against the best hitters,” Brash said. “It’s what I love to do.”

With his new kick change-up, Brash struck out the Padres’ Jason Heyward swinging through a 2-2 pitch.

Brash learned the new pitch in spring training after watching Andrés Muñoz start to throw it, and Brash picked it up pretty quickly. He’s only thrown eight change-ups in his first five appearances, but he expects it to be a useful pitch for him going forward.

“I think it just puts another look in a hitter’s head. The lefties have to respect that now, and the righties too,” Brash said. “It helps get guys off my slider, and even if they don’t swing at it, it could set up my slider better, my sinker, whatever it is. So I love it. I have a lot of confidence in it.”

Designated hitter Jorge Polanco was not in the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Padres. Wilson said it was simply a regular day off for Polanco, who has been managing a mild oblique strain early this season.