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Oct 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up before their game against the Tennessee Titans at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

A's Set to Benefit From Kyler Murray Chaos?

Originally posted on Oakland Athletics on SI
By Jason Burke | Last updated Nov 11, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Athletics selecting Kyler Murray with the ninth overall pick in 2018 MLB Draft was seen as a wild mistake pretty quickly. The team decided to let him play one more season of college football because what's the worst that could happen?

Well. Murray went on to win the Heisman Trophy and ended up being selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The A's handed him money with zero attachments that he'd actually have to play baseball, and since he signed with the club, they didn't get a re-do pick the following season.

Essentially they punted their first-round pick in 2018, and given the low level of success that teams generally have in the draft anyway, that loss of a first-rounder hurt.

Now Murray's future is Arizona is under question. The 29-year QB landed on the IR and his replacement, 32-year-old journeyman Jacoby Brissett, has played well for the Cardinals, earning some trust on the sidelines.

As Adam Schefter is reporting, the Cardinals will have a decision to make about the future of Murray with the team, as his contract could add another $19.5 million guaranteed if he's still on the roster by a certain point in March. This option is being presented as a foregone conclusion that Murray will be headed elsewhere.

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Rival NFL execs are openly joking that he could end up going back to baseball. That's an absurd idea, right? Or have the A's been playing the long game the entire time? Since Murray signed with the club back in 2018, they still hold his rights. Heck, we just saw Paul DePodesta, one of the key figures of 'Moneyball' head from the Cleveland Browns to the Colorado Rockies.

Why not continue that pipeline!

In all seriousness, the gap that Murray would be facing in just catching up would be too large. Plus, all of the financial incentives would be gone. Even if he started the 2026 campaign in the big leagues, he'd still need six seasons before reaching free agency, which would put him at his mid-30's looking for a free agent deal.

Back in college, pitchers weren't throwing as hard as they do in the big leagues. Carlos Rodón was a league average pitcher in terms of velocity that year, and he was throwing 93 miles per hour. There were just seven pitchers that were averaging 98 mph or higher on their fastball. This past season there were 36.

The average fastball velocity is also right around 94.5 mph these days, which is a good bump up from the 93 in the big leagues just a few years ago. This isn't even to mention that sliders have basically taken over baseball, and pitches just move more than they did when Murray still played ball. He'd not only be dealign with the jump from college to the pros, but also the jump in the pro game itself in that span.

Even with a background in baseball, it's been a little too long to expect to be able to pick up a bat and just continue right along the path that was in front of him in college.

What if Murray ended up landing with the Raiders in free agency next year, and is leading the silver and black when the green and gold are expected to arrive in town in 2028? Now that would be something.

This article first appeared on Oakland Athletics on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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