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Nick Kurtz Officially Placed on Injured List With Thumb Sprain
The Athletics officially announced on Saturday that they placed first baseman Nick Kurtz (thumb) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to July 10) with a right-thumb capsule sprain and recalled catcher Brian Serven from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Kurtz suffered the injury on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers when he jammed his right hand while trying to catch a ball in the first inning. He will miss the end of the first half of the season, next week's All-Star Game in Philadelphia, and the start of the second half of the year next weekend. Joey Meneses was called up from the minors and made the start at first base for the A's on Friday night against the Chicago White Sox, and he and Jeff McNeil could see more playing time for the team until Kurtz can return. Kurtz needs to be held in all fantasy leagues as an elite source of power at the first base position. The 23-year-old left-handed slugger is hitting .266/.405/.497 with a .902 OPS, 20 homers, 66 RBI, 61 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 334 at-bats after hitting 36 homers and driving in 86 in only 117 games played in 2025 as a rookie.
Source: A's Communications
Source: A's Communications
Nick Kurtz Likely to Land on Injured List With Thumb Strain
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (thumb) is dealing with a right-thumb capsule strain and is likely to be placed on the injured list, which obviously puts his status for next week's All-Star Game in jeopardy, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. In addition to Kurtz, the A's just placed infielder Zack Gelof (knee) on the IL again on Friday with a knee laceration, so their infield depth will be tested to close out the first half of the 2026 season. Joey Meneses is starting at first base and is hitting sixth on Friday, while rookie Joshua Kuroda-Grauer is at the hot corner and batting seventh against Chicago White Sox right-hander Sean Burke. The A's pulled Kurtz from Wednesday's game early after he jammed his right hand while attempting to catch a throw in the first inning. Both Meneses and Jeff McNeil should see more playing time for the A's if Kurtz joins Gelof on the IL. The 23-year-old Kurtz is an absolute must-stash if he goes on the shelf due to his elite power from the left side of the plate. He's currently slashing .266/.405/.497 with a .902 OPS, 20 home runs, 66 RBI, 61 runs, and seven stolen bases across 334 at-bats after hitting 36 bombs and driving in 86 runs in 117 games in 2025 as a rookie.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Nick Kurtz Returns From Illness on Thursday
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (illness) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second for the A's in Thursday's contest against the hosting Detroit Tigers and left-hander Framber Valdez, according to MLB.com. Kurtz returns to the starting nine a day after he was pulled in the second inning of Wednesday's game because he was feeling sick. Despite slowing down at the plate recently and facing a lefty, fantasy managers in all traditional leagues will want to get Kurtz back into their starting lineups now that he's feeling better. The 23-year-old left-handed slugger and former fourth overall pick out of Wake Forest University in 2024 brings elite power. Kurtz had 36 homers and 86 RBI in 117 games in his rookie campaign in 2025 and is currently slashing .270/.409/.503 with a .912 OPS, 20 homers, 66 RBI, 61 runs, seven stolen bases, and a league-high 76 walks across 408 plate appearances. He has gone hitless in 14 at-bats with seven strikeouts in his last four games, but he's also hitting .667 with a homer and two RBI in six career at-bats against Valdez.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Nick Kurtz Departs Early Due to Illness
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (illness) was forced to make an early exit from Wednesday's game against the Detroit Tigers. Kurtz appeared to have jammed his hand during the first inning of this contest. Luckily, that wasn't the reason for his departure. Instead, Kurtz was pulled out of the game due to illness. He was hitless in his lone plate appearance and was replaced by Jeff McNeil at first base. Fantasy managers should consider Kurtz as day-to-day. Hopefully, he'll be ready to go in time for next week's All-Star Game in Philadelphia. Fantasy managers should check back on Thursday for another update on his status.
Source: Martin Gallegos
Source: Martin Gallegos
A's Reinstate Tyler Soderstrom From the Injured List
The Athletics announced on Wednesday that they reinstated first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) from the 10-day injured list and optioned infielder Max Muncy to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Soderstrom should be right back in the A's starting lineup for Wednesday's contest in Detroit against right-hander Troy Melton after missing just one day over the minimum on the 10-day injured list due to a left-hip impingement. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting slugger will return to being the team's primary left fielder on an everyday basis. Soderstrom is returning to a .242/.343/.460 slash line with an .803 OPS, 13 homers, 41 RBI, 41 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 289 at-bats in 2026. After breaking out in 2025 with 25 homers and 93 RBI in 158 games played, Soderstrom is a burgeoning power asset for fantasy managers in all formats, especially at home at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. Get him back into your starting lineups immediately to close out the first half of the regular season this week.
Source: A's Communications
Source: A's Communications
Tyler Soderstrom Progressing With Baseball Activities, Could Return "Very Soon"
Athletics first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) is progressing with his baseball activities and is doing outfield drills, hitting, and running, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Manager Mark Kotsay said there's hope that the team could get him back "very soon" from the 10-day injured list. It's unclear how soon Soderstrom will be activated, but Gallegos suggests it could come as soon as this week's series in Detroit against the Tigers. The 24-year-old is eligible to be activated from the IL at any time with his left-hip impingement. The struggling A's would love to get Soderstrom back before next week's All-Star break. When he returns, he'll be coming back to a .242/.343/.460 slash line with an .803 OPS, 13 home runs, 41 RBI, 41 runs scored, and a stolen base in 80 games across 335 plate appearances in his fourth year in the big leagues. Soderstrom is rostered in 91% of Yahoo leagues for his emerging power stroke from the left side, so he shouldn't be available in many fantasy formats. In 24 games in June, Soderstrom went 23-for-81 (.284) with six homers, three doubles, 15 RBI, and 15 runs scored in 98 plate appearances.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Tyler Soderstrom Remains Shut Down From Baseball Activities
Athletics outfielder/first baseman Tyler Soderstrom (hip) remains shut down from any baseball activities, per MLB.com. Soderstrom was placed on the 10-Day injured list in late June due to a left-hip impingement that appears likely to sideline him through at least the All-Star break. Across 335 plate appearances in 2026 before the injury, Soderstrom hit .242/.343/.460 with 13 home runs, 41 RBI, 41 runs scored, and one stolen base. With a 12.8% walk rate and a 17.6% strikeout rate, the 24-year-old has demonstrated a promising plate approach. Soderstrom also brings solid underlying contact metrics, as he owns an 11% barrel rate and a 47.3% hard-hit rate across over 1,300 career MLB plate appearances. With Soderstrom sidelined, Athletics utility man Zack Gelof, outfielder Carlos Cortes, and outfielder Colby Thomas are all candidates to see more time in left field.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Tyler Soderstrom Lands on Injured List With Hip Impingement
The Athletics announced on Monday that they placed first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 28) with a left-hip impingement. In corresponding moves, the club selected infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and recalled infielder Darell Hernaiz from Triple-A Las Vegas. Soderstrom was forced from Saturday's game early with his hip injury and will now head to the sidelines after being held out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Los Angeles Angels. He'll be eligible to come off the IL on July 8, but with the All-Star break the following week, Soderstrom could very well just be held out as a precaution until the second half. With Soderstrom out for at least 10 days, Colby Thomas should see more playing time for the A's in left field. The 24-year-old Soderstrom should be held in all fantasy leagues while he recovers from his hip injury. The former first-rounder in 2020 is an emerging power bat in a hitter-friendly home park after he clubbed 25 homers, drove in 93 runs, and stole eight bases in a breakout 2025 campaign. He's currently slashing .242/.343/.460 with an .803 OPS, 13 homers, 41 RBI, and 41 runs scored across his 80 games in 2026.
Source: A's Communications
Source: A's Communications
Tyler Soderstrom Dealing With Hip Tightness
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said that first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) was removed from Saturday night's 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels with some left-hip tightness, according to Michael Huntley of The Orange County Register. The A's will see how Soderstrom is feeling on Sunday, but he will most likely be held out of the series finale against the Halos. Before leaving the contest in the third inning, Soderstrom was hitless in his only at-bat with a strikeout. Colby Thomas shifted from right field to left field, with Lawrence Butler entering the game to play right field for the A's. For now, fantasy managers should consider the left-handed slugger to be day-to-day. If Soderstrom is held out of Sunday's series finale against the Angels, his next chance to play would come on Monday at home for the start of a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. On the year, Soderstrom is hitting .242 with 13 home runs, 41 RBI, and an .803 OPS, and he remains a strong source of power at both first base and outfield in all fantasy baseball leagues.
Source: The Orange County Register - Michael Huntley
Source: The Orange County Register - Michael Huntley
Joey Meneses Returning to Majors, Worth a Deep-League Pickup?
According to Martín Gallegos of MLB.com, the Athletics are calling up first baseman/outfielder Joey Meneses from Triple-A Las Vegas. The 34-year-old earned another major-league opportunity by batting .348 with a .944 OPS, 11 home runs, 20 doubles, and 76 RBI across 69 games at Triple-A. Meneses has produced in the majors before, most notably when he hit .324 with 13 home runs and 34 RBI over 56 games for the Washington Nationals in 2022. Brent Rooker's absence creates a potential path to at-bats at designated hitter or in the corner spots, although Nick Kurtz's presence at first base leaves Meneses without a guaranteed everyday role. His Pacific Coast League production should also be viewed cautiously until he proves it against major-league pitching. Completely un-rostered at 0% on Yahoo, Meneses is worth a speculative pickup in AL-only and deeper redraft leagues for managers seeking power and RBI help.
Source: Martin Gallegos
Source: Martin Gallegos
Nick Kurtz Continues Power Binge With Two More Homers
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz is as hot as they come right now. In the A's 11-2 blowout win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night, Kurtz went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, five RBI, and a walk to raise his season average to .293 and his OPS to 1.006. Both of his home runs on the night were powered to the opposite field and were light-tower shots. Overall in his second season in the big leagues, Kurtz is hitting .293/.443/.563 with 18 home runs, a league-high 57 RBI, 51 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 325 plate appearances. The former fourth overall pick out of Wake Forest University in 2024 immediately turned into a fantasy star in his rookie campaign last year, hitting .290 (122-for-420) with 36 home runs and 86 RBI in 117 games played. Kurtz also leads the league this year with his 67 walks and .443 on-base percentage. So far in June, he's crushing baseballs to the tune of a .313 average (15-for-48) with eight home runs, a double, 16 RBI, 12 runs, and a steal. The combination of his elite raw power and his hitter-friendly home park in Sacramento is certainly paying off for fantasy managers.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Tyler Soderstrom Continues to Heat Up With Two Homers on Monday Night
Athletics first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom stayed hot in Monday night's wild 15-14 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Las Vegas, going 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, four RBI, and two walks to boost his season batting average to .237 and his OPS to .790. There was no shortage of offense from either side in this contest, which required 12 innings to complete. His first home run was a three-run shot in the third inning, and he added a solo homer in the seventh inning, with both of his round-trippers coming off left-handed pitchers. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger has been hot for a while now, going 23-for-62 (.371) with five homers, three doubles, a triple, 14 RBI, and seven runs scored in his last 18 games, dating back to May 20. The recent hot stretch at the plate has boosted Soderstrom's overall slash line in 2026 to .237/.333/.457 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI, 29 runs scored, and a stolen base in 63 games across 267 plate appearances. Surprisingly, half of his homers this year have come off southpaws.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Nick Kurtz on a Homer Binge, Goes Deep Twice in Wild Loss
There was no shortage of offense between the Milwaukee Brewers and Athletics on Monday night in Las Vegas, with the Brewers eventually prevailing 15-14 in 12 innings. Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz had a day at the plate, going 3-for-6 with two home runs, three RBI, three runs scored, a walk, and three strikeouts. His first blast was a solo shot in the sixth inning, and he later added a two-run homer in an electrifying back-and-forth game. After a somewhat slow start to his sophomore campaign, the 23-year-old left-handed slugger has now homered three times in the last two games and six times in his last 10 games. With Monday's strong performance to continue his hot streak, Kurtz is now slashing .282/.434/.521 with a .956 OPS, 14 long balls, 48 RBI, 45 runs scored, and seven stolen bases across his 234 at-bats in 2026. The former fourth overall pick in 2024 out of Wake Forest University is one of the best pure slugging options in baseball, let alone at the first base position. Kurtz is a must-start every day in fantasy lineups.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Nick Kurtz Continues Strong Month of May, Drives in Five on Tuesday
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz continued to swing the bat well in May in the team's 14-6 blowout victory over the hosting Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night, going 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, season-high five RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base to boost his season average to .276 and his OPS to .919. Kurtz is now hitting .328 (21-for-64) with three long balls, five doubles, a triple, 19 RBI, 13 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 17 games across 77 plate appearances in May to boost his season slash line to .276/.431/.488 with a .919 OPS. The 23-year-old former fourth overall pick out of Wake Forest in 2024 has eight home runs on the season and has added 34 RBI, 31 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 170 at-bats in 2026. Kurtz is a monster at first base and had a ridiculous 36 home runs and 86 RBI in 117 games in his first big-league season with the A's in 2025. He's a must-start in traditional fantasy leagues every day he's in the lineup.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Nick Kurtz Heating Up in May
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz was in a bit of a cold spell at the plate until a few days ago. Kurtz was still hitting for a decent average, but was held without a home run for 15 straight games. That changed on Wednesday when he blasted a grand slam during the A's win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Kurtz continued the fun on Thursday when he smacked a solo shot during their one-run defeat. The left-handed slugger has now put together four multi-hit games over his last six contests. Fantasy managers who were worried about his power numbers should continue to be patient with the 23-year-old.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
