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All-Star Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz will wear a brace on his injured right thumb through at least early September and is in jeopardy of missing the rest of 2026 season.
Manager Mark Kotsay offered an update to reporters on Tuesday and didn't sound optimistic about Kurtz's chances of playing again in 2026.
"Four weeks of no mobility," Kotsay said of Kurtz, per MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos. "You probably can do the timeline and think through the scenarios in front of us for Nick."
Kurtz landed on the injured list on Aug. 4 for a second time with the thumb injury that initially caused him to miss 10 games in July. He aggravated the injury that was diagnosed as an acute on chronic volar plate tear of the MCP joint in his right thumb.
Nick Kurtz's second MLB season is likely done.
AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt
Kurtz had a platelet-rich-plasma injection on Aug. 4 that Kotsay said Tuesday went well. But he's slated to wear a brace for four weeks following the injection, meaning he'll be restricted by the brace through at least early September.
Kurtz would then need to work his wrist and his body back into baseball shape before returning to the field. Even if he ramped up before the conclusion of the season on Sept. 27, he'd be returning to a team that started Monday at 47-72, the second worst record in the American league. The Athletics aren't in the playoff hunt.
There would be little motivation for the Athletics to bring Kurtz back at that point, and his season is likely done.
If so, Kurtz finishes his second season as a bright spot in another down year for an Athletics team playing without a permanent home as it waits for its Las Vegas stadium to be built.
Kurtz followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2025 with his first All-Star selection in 2026. In 99 games, Kurtz has slashed .256/.296/.483 with 21 home runs, 69 RBI, 7 stolen bases and 79 walks. He fell off from a .290/.383/.619 slash line in his rookie season that also earned him a Silver Slugger award, but continued to show plenty of promise as an anchor for the Athletics' future.
But his present with the team appears to be on hold.
Continue reading...
Manager Mark Kotsay offered an update to reporters on Tuesday and didn't sound optimistic about Kurtz's chances of playing again in 2026.
"Four weeks of no mobility," Kotsay said of Kurtz, per MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos. "You probably can do the timeline and think through the scenarios in front of us for Nick."
Kurtz landed on the injured list on Aug. 4 for a second time with the thumb injury that initially caused him to miss 10 games in July. He aggravated the injury that was diagnosed as an acute on chronic volar plate tear of the MCP joint in his right thumb.
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Nick Kurtz's second MLB season is likely done.
AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt
Kurtz had a platelet-rich-plasma injection on Aug. 4 that Kotsay said Tuesday went well. But he's slated to wear a brace for four weeks following the injection, meaning he'll be restricted by the brace through at least early September.
Kurtz would then need to work his wrist and his body back into baseball shape before returning to the field. Even if he ramped up before the conclusion of the season on Sept. 27, he'd be returning to a team that started Monday at 47-72, the second worst record in the American league. The Athletics aren't in the playoff hunt.
There would be little motivation for the Athletics to bring Kurtz back at that point, and his season is likely done.
If so, Kurtz finishes his second season as a bright spot in another down year for an Athletics team playing without a permanent home as it waits for its Las Vegas stadium to be built.
Kurtz followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2025 with his first All-Star selection in 2026. In 99 games, Kurtz has slashed .256/.296/.483 with 21 home runs, 69 RBI, 7 stolen bases and 79 walks. He fell off from a .290/.383/.619 slash line in his rookie season that also earned him a Silver Slugger award, but continued to show plenty of promise as an anchor for the Athletics' future.
But his present with the team appears to be on hold.
Continue reading...
