Nick Kurtz Embracing Walks as Key to Team Success

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Few second-year players attract the kind of attention that Nick Kurtz does, and it’s clear that the Athletics' first baseman has established himself as one of the premier power hitters in baseball. Opposing pitchers have begun to adopt a strategy reminiscent of the "Barry Bonds treatment," often opting to walk Kurtz rather than risk allowing him to hit a home run.

As of Wednesday, Kurtz's impressive tally of 64 walks led the majors, surpassing the number he achieved in 117 games last season when he was unanimously named the AL Rookie of the Year. Furthermore, he has received eight intentional walks, placing him just behind Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, the league’s home run leader. Despite not being on track to match his previous season's total of 36 home runs, Kurtz has still shown his power with 15 home runs and leads the league with 49 RBIs and a .438 on-base percentage. Earlier this season, he tied Mark McGwire’s 30-year-old franchise record by reaching base in 48 consecutive games.

A's manager Mark Kotsay praised Kurtz, stating, “He’s the most advanced hitter at this age that I’ve been around. He never goes to search for hits. He waits for pitches that he feels good about swinging at.” Kurtz acknowledged that he started to notice similar pitching tactics when he played at Wake Forest. “I think that’s where I started learning how to do it and just taking the walks," he explained. "It’s not always easy because you always want to stay aggressive when you do get that pitch.”

As the A's prepare for their anticipated move to Las Vegas in 2028, Kurtz is among the young talents they are showcasing. This week, they played at Las Vegas Ballpark, the home of their Triple-A affiliate, and recently secured two wins against the Brewers, with Kurtz contributing significantly by hitting three home runs over the series.

Despite not having the same level of visibility as stars like Shohei Ohtani, Kurtz is making his mark. He was drafted fourth overall in June 2024 and quickly ascended through the Athletics' system, making his MLB debut the following year. His standout performance came last July when he went 6 for 6 against Houston, hitting four home runs and tying a record with 19 total bases in a single game.

Kurtz remains unfazed by the attention, expressing his willingness to take walks to help his team. “I'm totally fine if you want to pitch around me,” he said. “You still got other guys in the lineup who can do a whole lot of hitting, so it makes it really easy for me to just take my walks and score some runs.”