Kyle Muller, Tyler Nevin outrighted to Las Vegas

Jason Burke | Nov 2, 2024

May 8, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics pitcher Kyle Muller (39) delivers a pitch against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The A's decided to outright two more players on Friday, removing left-hander and former Atlanta Braves prospect Kyle Muller as well as Tyler Nevin from the 40-man roster. Both players have cleared waivers, and since both players have been designated for assignment once already this year, they are each eligible to elect free agency.

The A's have been busy to start the offseason, trading Daz Cameron to the Baltimore Orioles, losing both Royber Salinas to the Braves and Ryan Noda to the Los Angeles Angels, and also clearing space by outrighting Austin Adams and Armando Alvarez. The A's roster now sits at 32.

The Muller news came in after Salinas had been claimed off waivers by Atlanta, and if Muller lands elsewhere this winter, that would leave the A's with just one piece--Esteury Ruiz--from the Sean Murphy deal two years ago.

Muller struggled as a starter in his first season with Oakland in 2023, posting a 7.60 ERA across 21 games (13 starts), but was much improved this past season, collecting a 4.01 ERA in 49 1/3 innings pitched. The big key for him was improving his command from year-to-year, lowering his walk rate from 10.5% to 5%.

Muller still believes that he is best as a starting pitcher, but he also adjusted well and discovered how to manage his in-between days as a reliever over the course of the year. He talked about the challenge of throwing four innings one game, and then not being called again for another 12 days, and figuring out how to keep his arm ready to go back out there and throw at the same volume.

If he elects free agency, it will be intersting to see which role a new team would have him working in.

For Nevin, he was claimed off waivers from the Orioles at the end of March and found a spot in the A's lineup fairly consistently during a hot April when he hit .316 with a .369 OBP, but after a cold May (.064/.214) he was DFA'd and sent to Triple-A for a couple of weeks.

In 34 games after the All-Star break, Nevin hit .198 with a .263 OBP and a .554 OPS. There wasn't likely going to be a regular spot in the A's lineup for him in 2025, so this will give him a chance to test the market, and potentially return on a minor-league deal if he wants to stick with the organization as a depth option.