The Athletics kicked off their weekend series against the Houston Astros with a bang on Friday. Designated hitter Nick Kurtz has been on a tear, and he kept it up against Houston. In the second inning, Kurtz took Astros starter Ryan Gusto deep on a two-run home run that broke the game wide open. The homer was Kurtz's 20th of his Major League Baseball career.

Gusto left a curveball in the strike zone and Kurtz crushed it to left field.

20 home runs as a rookie is a rare achievement. However, Kurtz reached it in just 66 career games played. Despite the small sample size, the young star has left his mark on the Athletics in 2025. He and rookie Athletics All-Star Jacob Wilson represent a bright future for the organization. Kurtz's 20 home runs has him just one behind Brent Rooker for the team lead.

Kurtz, Soderstrom, and the Athletics jumped all over Gusto on Friday. After just three innings at the plate, the Athletics plated six runs. Jeffrey Springs did his part on the mound as well, preventing a good Astros offense from getting into rhythm. The Athletics have had their fair share of offensive explosions this season, and Friday night is just another example of how good they can be.

This weekend series is an important one for Houston. The Astros have a comfortable lead in the American League West, but the Seattle Mariners made a big move. They traded for Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor as they try to track Houston down. For the Athletics, they want to take a few games off of that lead this weekend.

While a playoff berth is likely out of the question for the Athletics, 2025 has been an encouraging year. Soderstrom, Wilson, and Kurtz have emerged as legitimate players. If the front office can keep them all together and develop them further, the Athletics could be a serious threat in the AL.

For now, Athletics fans can celebrate Kurtz's 20th career home run as their team competes with a divisional rival.

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