A's All-Star 1B Kurtz Lands on IL With Thumb Sprain
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- Nick Kurtz was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right thumb sprain, retroactive to Friday, and did not play in the Athletics' 14-1 loss to the White Sox on Saturday.
- Kurtz was set to start at first base for the American League at next week's All-Star Game before the injury sidelined him.
- Kurtz is batting .266 with 20 home runs, 66 RBIs, and a league-leading 76 walks at age 23, one season after winning AL Rookie of the Year with a .290 average, 36 homers, and 86 RBIs.
- The Athletics recalled catcher Brian Serven from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding roster move before Saturday's game.
- Kurtz lands on the injured list for the second time in his career, having previously been sidelined with a strained left hip flexor in May 2025.
- Brian Serven is a career .188 hitter across parts of four seasons but is hitting .308 with 18 doubles, seven home runs, and 41 RBIs in 55 games with Las Vegas this year.
Why it matters: Kurtz's IL stint costs the A's their All-Star first baseman and the AL its planned starter, while forcing a 14-1 loss-era roster to plug in a career .188 catcher recalled from Triple-A — a thin replacement for a player leading the league in walks.
