Who is Kyle Muller? All about Oakland A's rookie starting pitcher on Opening Day 2023

The Oakland Athletics have announced that rookie pitcher Kyle Muller will be their Opening Day starter for the new campaign. While it will certainly be a difficult season for the rebuilding Athletics, it will allow Muller to have plenty of opportunities to prove himself as a future building block for their roster.

"Pumped for Kyle Muller. What a cool opportunity." - Grant McAuley

After proving his potential in the Minor Leagues, Muller will be given the opportunity to cement himself as an MLB starter. The 25-year-old lefty will make his first-ever Opening Day start, and with only 11 starts in his career.

The only A's pitchers in franchise history to enter an Opening Day start with less MLB experience than Muller are Sonny Gray (2014), Carlos Reyes (1996), and Vide Blue (1971), who all had 10 starts apiece before making their Opening Day debuts.

Muller was a key piece in Oakland's trade that sent former catcher Sean Murphy to the Atlanta Braves. Sean Murphy's three-way trade allowed the Oakland A's to load up on top prospects from both the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers. Among the prospects that Oakland acquired were Muller, Esteury Ruiz, Freddy Tarnok, and Royber Salinas.

"Kotsay on Kyle Muller: 'We’re excited about his future. Kyle, in our mind, is going to be in this rotation for a long time. He’s put his work in to get to this point. … His attitude and enthusiasm when I told him, the drive of the emotion was exactly what you want.” - Martin Gallegos

Kyle Muller was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2016 MLB Amateur Draft out of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. With the Braves, Muller has appeared in 12 MLB games, posting a 3-5 record with 49 strikeouts and a 5.14 ERA.

A look at the Oakland Athletics' pitching rotation aside from Kyle Muller

While the Oakland A's rotation will likely be one of the worst in the MLB this upcoming campaign, it should allow the team to get plenty of looks at some of their younger talents.

Another benefit for the Athletics entering a full rebuild is the flexibility that they will be able to experiment with this season. Only the likes of Paul Blackburn, James Kaprielian, and Shintaro Fujinami appear to have their roles secured in the team's rotation.

"A’s Opening Day starter Kyle Muller on the mound this afternoon. With Cole Irvin traded and Paul Blackburn opening the season on the IL the competition for the Opening Day start was wide open this Spring. #Athletics" - Joe Hughes

Even with Muller starting the first game, there is no guarantee that he will remain in the rotation throughout the season. JP Sears, Daulton Jefferies, and Adam Oller will all likely be given looks throughout the 2023 season.