NEW YORK — Nick Kurtz didn’t want to overemphasize his latest home run, though it marked his 11th in just 22 games. Yet for Kurtz, this triumph had extraordinary significance. “Being able to play at Yankee Stadium is surreal. I grew up as a Phillies fan,” the 22-year-old Athletics rookie recounted. In the sixth inning, Kurtz made a pivotal three-run home run off Clarke Schmidt, sending the ball soaring into Yankee Stadium’s short right-field porch. This crucial play propelled former Yankee JP Sears and the Athletics to a commanding 7-0 victory on Saturday.
“When Nick connects with the ball, you can tell by the impact,” remarked A’s manager Mark Kotsay. A large gathering of approximately 20 family and friends, including his mother, Marie, and his father, Jeff, witnessed Kurtz’s performance firsthand. “This was much more convenient since we aren’t scheduled to play in Philadelphia this year,” Kurtz mentioned. Born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Kurtz attended Wake Forest. The Athletics selected him fourth overall in last year’s amateur draft, rewarding him with a $7 million signing bonus. His professional journey began at Class A Stockton on August 10 last year, with a rapid promotion to Double-A Midland a mere nine days later.
Starting this season in Triple-A Las Vegas, Kurtz hit a formidable .400, with six home runs and 17 RBIs over his first eight games, extending his opening hitting streak to 13 games. Despite this impressive start, a brief 5-for-27 slump, which included 12 strikeouts, made him question the possibility of a major league call-up. On April 21, during an off day, Aviators manager Fran Riordan called, delivering unexpected news. “I was asleep when I got the call. Being told I was being advanced to the majors was incredible,” Kurtz said.
In his debut against Texas on April 23, Kurtz secured an RBI single off Kumar Rocker, contributing to a 4-0 win for the A’s. Kurtz’s momentum continued with further memorable plays: his first home run at Dodger Stadium on May 13, a tiebreaking home run in Kansas City on June 15, and an electrifying 447-foot two-run walk-off home run against Houston at home the following night. Only three days later, he followed with another walk-off homer in extra innings against Josh Hader of the Astros. Presently, Kurtz is batting .256, with 12 homers, 31 RBIs, and an impressive .843 OPS over 45 games.
“There’s a distinctive calmness about him,” noted Sears, Kurtz’s locker-mate in West Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park. “Often, rookies feel pressured to overperform when they’re starting in the majors, sometimes resulting in frustration. Despite occasional hard hits going straight to fielders, Kurtz maintained composure, which is commendable for a young player.”
Kurtz’s childhood involved regular visits to Citizens Bank Park, always hoping to catch a home run from the left-field bleachers by Ashburn Alley. “I really wanted to catch one,” he reflected. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on his side. “I just didn’t get that lucky,” he laughed. Kurtz followed Phillies legends Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay growing up. A poignant family memory includes his father attending the 2009 World Series against the Yankees, a series that Philadelphia lost in six games.
That series remains a sore spot for Kurtz. “I prefer not to revisit that topic,” he acknowledged.