Muller was outrighted off the Athletics' 40-man roster Friday and will head to free agency rather than remain in the organization. The left-hander made 21 relief appearances in the majors this year and had a 4.01 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 36:10 K:BB across 49.1 innings.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Outrighted to Triple-A
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The Athletics outrighted Muller to Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Because he's been outrighted before, Muller has the option to elect free agency. The left-hander made 21 appearances for the A's in 2024 in relief, posting a 4.01 ERA and 36:10 K:BB across 49.1 frames.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Back with big club
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The Athletics selected Muller's contract from Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Muller was outrighted off the 40-man roster last month but has made his way back on after posting a 4.43 ERA and 12:5 K:BB over 20.1 innings at Las Vegas. Three of Muller's four appearances with Las Vegas were starts, and he went a combined 13 innings his last two times out. However, while he's stretched out to start, if needed, it's not clear what role the Athletics have planned for him.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Outrighted off 40-man roster
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The Athletics outrighted Muller to Triple-A Las Vegas after he cleared waivers Wednesday.
Muller has fewer than three years of big-league service time and hasn't been previously outrighted, so he didn't have the ability to reject the assignment to Triple-A after clearing waivers. Before the Athletics moved him off their 40-man roster Tuesday, Muller served mostly in a mop-up role over his 18 relief appearances for the big club, logging a 4.22 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 35:9 K:BB in 42.2 innings. He could get stretched back out for starting duty as he heads back to Las Vegas.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: DFA'd by Oakland
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The Athletics designated Muller for assignment Tuesday.
The left-hander last pitched since Aug. 3 versus the Dodgers and surrendered six runs across one inning. Muller had a 3.02 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 32:9 K:BB in 41.2 frames this season prior to that outing, but he won't retain his place on Oakland's 26-man and 40-man rosters.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Comes off IL
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The Athletics reinstated Muller (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list Sunday.
Muller had been on the shelf since May 30 with left shoulder tendinitis but will rejoin Oakland after completing four rehab appearances with Triple-A Las Vegas. The southpaw covered three innings and tossed 61 pitches in his final outing for Las Vegas on Saturday, so the Athletics would presumably prefer not to use him in Sunday's series finale with the Orioles. Left-hander Jack O'Loughlin was optioned to Las Vegas in a corresponding move.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Hefty workload in latest rehab game
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Muller (shoulder) started Triple-A Las Vegas' loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday, allowing two earned runs on two hits and a walk over 2.2 innings. He struck out five.
While he had his share of trouble, Muller encouragingly worked up to 42 pitches during the outing, locating 32 of those offerings for strikes. Per the Associated Press, Muller returned to Oakland on Wednesday, and he and manager Mark Kotsay were slated to discuss how the veteran southpaw felt following the most voluminous of his three rehab appearances before making a decision on whether Muller would be activated at some point during the upcoming weekend series against the Orioles.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Allows run in second rehab outing
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Muller (shoulder) allowed an earned run on two hits and two walks over 1.1 innings in a relief appearance for Triple-A Las Vegas against Sacramento on Friday. He struck out one.
Muller's second rehab outing didn't go quite as smoothly as his first, when he fired a scoreless frame against the River Cats on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the veteran southpaw was able to work up to 31 pitches, and although he located only 17 for strikes, he seemingly corroborated his shoulder is capable of handling a normal relief workload. Consequently, Muller may not be much longer for his rehab assignment, with the potential to be activated at some point in the coming days if he doesn't experience any residual effects from Friday's volume.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Scoreless frame in rehab debut
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Muller (shoulder) fired a scoreless inning in his rehab outing with Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, allowing one hit and recording a strikeout.
Muller kicked off his rehab assignment in solid fashion, successfully working around a single and getting through his one frame on 10 pitches. The left-hander is due to make multiple appearances for the Aviators before activation is considered, although he may not need more than a couple of more outings considering he won't need to build up much as a result of his relief role.
Muller (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Muller has been sidelined since the end of May due to tendinitis in his left shoulder, but he has now been given the go-ahead to test his shoulder in a game setting. The A's haven't specified how long they plan on keeping the 26-year-old in the minors, but he will likely require multiple rehab outings after being held out of action for nearly a month.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Next steps identified
Rotowire
Muller (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Sunday, MLB.com reports.
The left-hander began a throwing program June 6, and he appears to be progressing through it without setbacks. If all goes well with Sunday's bullpen session, Muller is slated to head out for a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas at some point during the following week.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: In midst of throwing program
Rotowire
Muller (shoulder) began a throwing program Thursday, MLB.com reports.
The next step for Muller will be to progress to throwing off a mound, but a timetable for such has yet to be established. The right-hander appears to be making fairly steady progress, however, so he could be set for activation well before the end of June.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Evaluation coming next week
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Muller (shoulder) is slated to be evaluated by team doctors next week, MLB.com reports.
Muller was scratched from his start Thursday and subsequently placed on the injured list due to left shoulder tendinitis, and he's been shut down from throwing for the time being. Team doctors will take a closer look in the coming days at how the rest might be aiding his progress, and a determination of when Muller might be able to begin a throwing program will be made at that point.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Shut down with shoulder injury
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The Athletics placed Muller on the 15-day injured list Thursday with left shoulder tendinitis.
Muller looked to be a potential candidate to fill the opening in the Oakland rotation Thursday in Tampa Bay, but his shoulder injury will end up thwarting those plans. The Athletics called up lefty Hogan Harris from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move, and he could factor into the team's pitching plans for Thursday's series finale.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Takes first loss Wednesday
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Muller (0-1) took the loss in an extra-innings defeat at the hands of the Rockies on Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits over one inning.
Muller was entrusted with preserving a 2-2 tie when he entered in the 12th inning, but he faltered almost immediately by giving up a go-ahead two-run home run to Ryan McMahon with designated runner Jake Cave aboard. Oakland would halve its two-run deficit in the home half of the frame but fall short of knotting the score back up, saddling Muller with his first loss. The southpaw sports a respectable 3.94 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, but he's allowed at least one run in nine of his 12 appearances.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Long relief candidate Friday
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Muller could follow starter Mitch Spence as a long reliever during Friday's game against the Royals, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
With the A's rotation plagued by injuries, Muller was initially an option to start Friday's series opener. However, Oakland will hand the ball to Mitch Spence -- who's gone three or more innings six times this season -- to start the contest. Still, Muller could follow Spence and see multiple innings of work if needed.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Another stellar long-relief effort
Rotowire
Muller replaced starter Joe Boyle with two outs in the third inning of Monday's loss to the Red Sox and allowed an earned run on one hit and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out six.
Muller's previous starting experience has already come into play twice over the first five games, as manager Mark Kotsay has taken advantage of the southpaw's ability to work multiple innings to preserve his bullpen in lopsided shutout losses. Muller's impressive work over that pair of appearances -- he's pitched to a 1.13 ERA and 0.50 WHIP while allowing only two hits in eight innings -- could pay dividends for him down the line in the form of a rotation audition if starters such as Alex Wood or Boyle continue to struggle.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Impresses in relief Thursday
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Muller fired 2.2 scoreless relief innings in a loss to the Guardians on Thursday, allowing a hit while recording two strikeouts. He also hit a batter.
Muller came on in relief of starter Alex Wood and threw 24 of his 32 pitches for strikes. The strong outing is a welcome sight for Muller following a rough 2023 in which he produced a 1-5 record, 7.60 ERA and 1.96 WHIP across 21 appearances (13 starts) for the Athletics, and an uneven Cactus League performance that included a 1.85 WHIP and .328 BAA over 13 innings.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Working with revamped delivery
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Muller, who struggled to a 1-5 record, 7.60 ERA and 1.96 WHIP across 77 innings in his Athletics debut campaign in 2023, made several changes to his mechanics this offseason, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Muller has had only one opportunity to show off the new look in game action thus far this spring, allowing an earned run on a walk and two hits over two innings while recording three strikeouts in a start against the Dodgers on Feb. 25. However, Gallegos notes Muller's modifications have been noticeable any time he's picked up a ball during camp, with the big right-hander having raised his arm slot and adjusted his windup rotation from east-to-west to more of a north-south orientation, per the recommendations of the team's baseball operations department. The mechanics closely mirror those Muller utilized while toiling in Atlanta's minor-league system in 2022, and the young hurler noted after his first outing that he could already see the changes paying dividends in the form of more swings and misses on his fastball.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Works in relief Saturday
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Muller tossed two innings out of the bullpen in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Rangers, giving up two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out one.
In his previous outing Sept. 3 versus the Angels, Muller started and kept the Halos off the board through the first three innings, but he melted down in the fourth, giving up three runs before being pulled. Since Muller carried a 7.62 ERA and 1.93 WHIP over 15 appearances (13 starts) on the season heading into the weekend, the Athletics opted to move him to the bullpen and gave Sean Newcomb an audition as a starter. Newcomb delivered four scoreless frames Saturday before turning the game over to Muller, though neither pitcher was ultimately stuck with the loss. In any case, with Newcomb making the most of his opportunity, look for him to get at least one more start while Muller sticks in a relief role.
