Oakland A's rookie Nick Kurtz hits the injured list on June 27, 2025, with a hip flexor strain, pausing his home run surge before a key series vs. the Yankees.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just as rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz was heating up into one of the most feared hitters in the A's lineup, the injury bug has struck again. On the same day the team traveled to the Bronx for a critical series against the Yankees, the club announced Kurtz has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hip flexor, halting his incredible power surge at the worst possible time.
In his last 10 games, Nick Kurtz hit six home runs and drove in 12 RBIs. Now, he's on the 10-day IL.
You couldn't write a more frustrating script. Just two days ago, on June 25th, Kurtz was the hero, launching a colossal 438-foot, three-run homer that was the sole offense in a 3-0 victory over the Tigers. That blast was the exclamation point on a torrid stretch where he seemed to be finding his major-league groove, boasting a .523 slugging percentage with 11 homers and 28 RBIs on the season. For a team struggling to find consistent offense, his bat wasn't just a bright spot; it was a beacon. The strained left hip flexor designation puts an immediate stop to that momentum, leaving a massive hole in the middle of the order.
The timing is brutal, as the A's (33-50) rolled into Yankee Stadium to face a formidable New York team (46-34). With Mitch Spence getting the start, Oakland was already facing an uphill battle, especially after being blown out 12-2 in their last meeting with the Yankees back in May. Facing them now without their most productive offensive player makes a tough series feel monumental. The team's resolve will be tested immediately as they try to piece together a lineup capable of competing in one of baseball's most hostile environments.
Kurtz's injury is just the latest in a long line of ailments that have plagued the A's this season. The team is already without key players like Zack Gelof (hand) and Brett Harris (oblique), while pitcher Ken Waldichuk continues his long recovery from Tommy John surgery on the 60-day IL. This pattern of injuries has forced manager Mark Kotsay to constantly shuffle his roster, relying on players like Max Muncy and Max Schuemann, who were brought up to fill gaps. The loss of Kurtz adds another name to that list and puts even more pressure on a roster already stretched thin.
Losing Kurtz is a gut punch, plain and simple. Now, the challenge falls to the rest of the lineup to manufacture runs against a tough Yankees squad and beyond. With the team already battling a slew of injuries, Mark Kotsay's squad will need to dig deep to find a spark. All eyes will be on who steps up to fill the massive void left by their rookie slugger.
