MESA, Ariz. -- Back in February 2019, the Athletics were left at the altar by Kyler Murray, who opted to forgo a professional baseball career despite signing a deal with them as their 2018 first-round Draft pick. Murray instead declared for the 2019 NFL Draft, where the Arizona Cardinals selected him first overall as their franchise quarterback.
Seven years later, could the door have just opened up for Murray’s baseball debut?
Recent developments warrant that the question at least be asked. On Tuesday afternoon, Murray took to social media to bid farewell to his Arizona supporters after news broke that the Cardinals would be releasing the 28-year-old quarterback after seven seasons with the team once the NFL’s new league year begins on March 11.
In the aftermath of Murray choosing football over baseball, he was placed on MLB’s restricted list and forfeited the majority of the $4.66 million signing bonus he received. In addition to getting that money back, the A’s retained Murray’s baseball rights in the event he decides to return to center field at a future time.
The A’s remained in constant negotiations with Murray to remain committed to baseball up until the final hours before he made his decision to enter the NFL Draft publicly. Now that he’s set to become a free agent, could they be interested in revisiting those talks?
For A’s general manager David Forst, that door has never closed.
"Kyler is an elite NFL quarterback and I’m sure there are plenty of opportunities for him to continue his football career,” Forst told MLB.com on Wednesday. “That said, he and his baseball representatives know that we’re always open to him exploring a return to baseball with the A’s if that time ever comes.”
Murray reached the pinnacle of college football by winning the Heisman Trophy, but let’s not forget, there’s a reason why the A’s selected him with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft. He was also very talented on the diamond, regarded as a five-tool player while at the University of Oklahoma.
The nephew of former NFL quarterback Kevin Murray and the nephew of former Major Leaguer Calvin Murray, Kyler hit .296 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs in 51 games for the Sooners in 2018. At the time he signed his deal with the A’s, Billy Beane, then their vice president of baseball operations, called Murray, “One of the most dynamic athletes that we've selected since I've been here.”
In all likelihood, the chances of Murray making the jump to baseball are incredibly slim. He’ll likely garner no shortage of interest from NFL teams in need of a quarterback.
But on the off-chance Murray does decide to belatedly begin his professional baseball career, he has a spot in the organization waiting for him with the A’s.