BOSTON -- George Kirby's extraordinary ability to manipulate pitch grips and add more offerings to his arsenal has been among the most impressive attributes of the third-year Mariners starter. But he utilized that skill with extra meaning in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Red Sox, twirling what appeared to be a knuckleball for his first pitch in the matinee at Fenway Park.

If so, it was likely a respectful and touching nod to the late Tim Wakefield, the Red Sox great who was most synonymous with the pitch during his 19-year playing career from 1992-2011, spending his final 17 of those seasons in Boston. Wakefield passed away last Oct. 1 due to brain cancer. He was 57.

Kirby’s knuckler on Wednesday was delivered to Boston leadoff man Jarren Duran at 73.9 mph with a spin rate of just 155 RPM. It was classified by Statcast as a splitter, but the lack of spin along with Kirby’s delivery -- a minimal leg kick and easy hurl towards the plate -- suggested that it was a knuckleball. For context, Kirby’s splitter has an average spin rate of 891 RPM, per Statcast.

If this was indeed a tribute to Wakefield, it wouldn’t be the first time Kirby has thrown a knuckler to recognize the two-time World Series champion. He hurled one on the final day of last year’s regular season -- the day that Wakefield passed -- to Corey Seager, inducing a massive swing-and-miss to the eventual World Series MVP.

“I loved watching that guy throw, even though he's a Red Sox player and I'm a born Yankee fan,” Kirby said that day.

Kirby was born in 1998 in Rye, N.Y., a 20-mile drive from Yankee Stadium, growing up a huge fan of the Bronx Bombers. But he still clearly has respect for one of the greatest to play for the Yankees' biggest rivals.