Noah Murdock #58

Noah James Murdock... Wife’s name is Savannah... Is a 2016 graduate of Colonial Heights (Va.) High School, where he was named the Conference 25 Player of the Year as a senior...Was also recognized as the Virginia State Player of the Year in Volleyball in 2016 after helping lead the Minutemen to their first state title... Attended the University of Virginia (2017-19), where he was named to the ACC’s All-Freshman Team in 2017... Was signed by Royals scout Jim Farr.

2025

Made his first career Opening Day roster...Did not allow a hit and struck out two batters over 1.2 scoreless innings of relief in his Major League debut on 3/29 at Seattle... Became one of only eight relievers in Athletics history (since 1901) to have such a debut, along with Bill Landis (9/28/63 vs. Cleveland), Catfish Hunter (5/13/65 at Chicago), Jeff Bettendorf (4/8/84 vs. Boston), Steve Ontiveros (6/14/85 at Cleveland), Kevin Campbell (7/19/91 vs. New York), Garrett Acton (5/14/2023 vs. Texas) and J.T. Ginn (8/21/24 vs. Tampa Bay)...Had at least one strikeout in each of his first seven outings (10.1 IP) from 3/29-4/17 (12 strikeouts total)... Made his final Major League appearance on 5/7 vs. Seattle... Held opponents scoreless in eight of his 14 games (11.2 IP), but allowed 25 runs in the other six outings (5.1 IP)...Was designated for assignment on 5/9...Was returned to Kansas City and assigned to Omaha (Royals’ Triple-A), where he spent the rest of the season, on 5/12...Made his final appearance with the Storm Chasers on 7/9 vs. Toledo...Was placed on the seven-day injured list on 7/14 and missed the rest of the year (was transferred to the 60-day IL on 7/17).

2024

Spent the first two months of the seasons at Northwest Arkansas and had a 2.22 ERA in 16 relief appearances when he was promoted to Omaha on June 10...Went 1-0 with a save and a 3.76 ERA in 30 relief appearances in his Triple-A debut...Combined to go 1-0 with a save, a 3.16 ERA and .574 opponents OPS in a career-high 46 appearances overall...Did not allow a home run in 62.2 innings pitched...Had the fourth-most innings pitched in all of Minor League baseball among pitchers with no home runs allowed...Now has a 66.1-inning, 292-batter homerless streak dating back to Sept. 7, 2023...Allowed a .199 opponents batting average but walked 41 batters (5.89 walks per nine innings) for a .342 on-base percentage...Struck out 72 (10.34 per nine innings)...Held right-handed hitters to a .160 (24-for-150) batting average and .474 opponents OPS...Left-handers hit .288 (19-for-66) with a .790 OPS...Yielded a .159 batting average with runners in scoring position...Opponents were 1-for-12 with four walks with the bases loaded...Allowed 5-for-19 (26.3%) inherited runners to score...First batters faced were 9-for-38 (.237) with five walks and three hit batters (.370 on-base percentage)...Compiled a 0.77 ERA in nine appearances on one day of rest or fewer...Did not allow a run in the ninth inning (6.2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 9 SO)...Yielded a .097 batting average with two strikes...The number nine hitter in the batting order was 1-for-18 against him...Tossed at least one inning in 42 of his 46 relief appearances, including two innings or more 12 times...Did not allow a hit 22 times.