Kurtz is not in the lineup for Monday's game in Texas.
The left-handed-hitting Kurtz started each of the previous three contests when the opponent had a left-hander on the mound, but he'll begin Monday's tilt on the bench as southpaw Patrick Corbin draws the start for the Rangers. Tyler Soderstrom will shift back to first base Monday, and Miguel Andujar will draw the start in left field for the Athletics.
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Athletics' Nick Kurtz: First major-league hit in debut
Rotowire
Kurtz went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in Wednesday's win over Texas.
Making his major-league debut, Kurtz delivered a two-out RBI single to drive in the third run of the Athletics' four-run first frame. The 2024 No. 4 overall pick has a fairly clear pathway to reps at first base in the majors, as Tyler Soderstrom moved to left field to accommodate for the arrival of Kurtz on Wednesday. Kurtz slashed .321/.385/.655 with seven home runs, seven doubles and 24 RBI over 97 plate appearances with Triple-A Las Vegas this year, and his power profile makes him an intriguing add in most mixed fantasy leagues for teams needing some pop.
Athletics' Nick Kurtz: Big-league promotion official
Rotowire
The Athletics selected Kurtz's contract from Triple-A Las Vegas, and he's starting at first base and batting seventh in his MLB debut against the Rangers on Wednesday.
Reports first surfaced Monday indicating that Kurtz was on the move to the big leagues, but the Athletics waited until they had a matchup Wednesday with a right-handed starting pitcher (Kumar Rocker) before making the 22-year-old's call-up official. Despite the brief delay in his promotion, the left-handed-hitting Kurtz is expected to be given the chance to play regularly against both right- and left-handed pitching as he begins his major-league career. In leagues where he's still available on the waiver wire, Kurtz is worthy of a look for teams in need of power production after he slashed an impressive .321/.384/.655 with seven home runs and seven doubles over 20 games with Las Vegas prior to his call-up.
Athletics general manager David Forst said Tuesday that Kurtz will not be platooned, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
The left-handed-hitting Kurtz has batted .296/.323/.482 versus lefties this season at Triple-A Las Vegas, and the Athletics want to give their top prospect a chance to be an everyday player. Kurtz will not play Tuesday against Rangers lefty Patrick Corbin, although that's more about giving him a chance to get acclimated in the majors. It's not clear whether the Athletics will officially add Kurtz to the roster Tuesday or wait until Wednesday. Kurtz is expected to serve as the Athletics' everyday first baseman, with some starts at designated hitter likely to be mixed in.
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Athletics' Nick Kurtz: May not debut until Wednesday
Rotowire
The Athletics could elect to wait until Wednesday to officially promote Kurtz from Triple-A Las Vegas with the team scheduled to face left-handed starter Patrick Corbin in Tuesday's game against the Rangers, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Reports surfaced earlier Monday indicating that Kurtz was set to join the big club, but the 22-year-old looks like he'll end up waiting a couple more days before making his MLB debut. Kurtz earned his spot on the big-league roster after slashing .321/.385/.655 with seven home runs over 96 plate appearances with Las Vegas to begin the season.
Athletics' Nick Kurtz: Slated for promotion to majors
Rotowire
The Athletics are set to promote Kurtz from Triple-A Las Vegas prior to Tuesday's game against the Rangers, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, Kurtz has slashed a robust .321/.385/.655 with seven home runs with Las Vegas this season and will make his major-league debut after racing through the minors. Kurtz is likely to split time between designated hitter and first base with Tyler Soderstrom, resulting in Brent Rooker seeing more starts in left field.
Kurtz is hitting .412 (14-for-37) with four home runs in eight games for Triple-A Las Vegas.
Kurtz's assignment to Triple-A is notable, as all the other top college hitters from the 2024 draft class (aside from Cam Smith) were assigned to Double-A. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, Kurtz impressed in spring training with the Athletics, putting up a .973 OPS with two home runs and a 5:7 K:BB, and hasn't slowed down. His strong start to the season could see him called up earlier rather than later as a result.
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