Is Nick Kurtz the Dark Horse Threatening to Upend the AL Rookie of the Year Race?
Nick Kurtz, a mere 22 years old and already making waves, snagged the AL Player of the Week nod for the first time this Monday, following a scorching hot performance in the Athletics’ opening series after the All-Star break against Cleveland. Now, while this weekly shout-out might seem like just another trophy on the rookie’s shelf, it barely scratches the surface of what Kurtz has been cooking at the plate—not just for a few games, but over the last nine downright dominant weeks.
With the regular season paused and usual week-long stats trimmed to a quick weekend snapshot, Kurtz lit up Progressive Field with multiple hits in every game of that short stretch, racking up a jaw-dropping five extra-base hits. But here’s the kicker: Nobody in the league—the likes of Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Ronald Acuña Jr., or even the red-hot National League counterpart Eugenio Suarez—has matched Kurtz’s offensive prowess since late May. Over a 42-game stretch, this rookie first baseman boasts a blazing .327/.408/.782 slash line, 18 home runs, and an eye-popping 1.190 OPS and 217 wRC+—tops across baseball.
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