The Ahtletics and Kansas City Royals have had some overlapping players over the past year or so, partially because of the trade they made at last year’s deadline. The A’s sent Lucas Erceg over to the Royals in exchange for right-hander Mason Barnett, outfielder Jared Dickey, and the since-departed Will Klein.

CJ Alexander made his MLB debut with the Royals last season, but ended up on waivers late in the year, where the A’s scooped him up. He’s now with Triple-A Las Vegas. Ross Stripling also signed a minor-league deal with Kansas City during the offseason, but ended up not making their roster.

But the key guy for the A’s at the moment is Rule 5 draftee, Noah Murdock. The 26-year-old righty has made three appearances for the A’s thus far, including his MLB debut against the Seattle Mariners. In the third game of the season, Murdock came on with runners on first and second, one run already in, and one out recorded.

He proceeded to get Ryan Bliss to line out, and earned his first MLB strikeout, getting J.P. Crawford looking. Murdock would also work a scoreless seventh against the top of the Mariners’ lineup.

His second outing was less than ideal.

In Monday night’s home debut for the A’s in Sacramento, nobody on the A’s was able to locate their pitches, and with the A’s ultimately losing the game 18-3, Murdock was out there to wear it a bit to try and conserve the bullpen.

He ended up providing one inning of work, giving up six earned on four hits and three walks, striking out one. His ERA skyrocketed to 20.25 after that outing.

Yet, he was back in the mix on Friday in Colorado, and pitched in a key spot. With the score tied in the bottom of the ninth, Murdock came in and worked an eight-pitch inning to send it to extras. He appeared to be in complete control out there pitching in the snow.

With the A’s failing to pull ahead in the top of the tenth, Murdock was used for a second inning of work, this time with the zombie runner starting the inning on second base, adding an extra level of difficulty.

Again, Murdock was able to navigate the frame without allowing a run to score. He ended up going two innings, didn’t allow a hit, walked a pair (along with two intentional walks), and struck out three.

Without his efforts, the A’s don’t win that game.

Maybe it’s because the A’s late inning options are a bit limited right now with Michel Otañez on the IL and José Leclerc not inspiring a ton of confidence early on, but Murdock seems like he’ll be in that late-inning mix before long. In the two games that he’s been thrust into a big spot, he’s responded. It was the blowout game that inflated his ERA.

Meanwhile, Leclerc, granted he’s a veteran arm, has blown two saves thus far, and his ERA has rebounded while pitching in the blowout losses to the Cubs.

Of course, it’s still early, and when the A’s are at full strength, they’ll have veteran options to take on the key situations in big innings, but with the way that Murdock has looked in those spots so far, he could work his way into a big role with the Athletics as the season goes on.

Not only is he coming up big in big spots, but his sinker is also a ground ball machine, which could be huge while pitching in Sacramento. He can also go after punch-outs, which also play in any park. His mix just feels suited for where the A’s are right now.