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It's been a bit of a rough season for the Athletics during their inaugural campaign in Sacramento. Their home for the next three years until they move into their new stadium in Las Vegas, it's certainly been more down than up for the former Oakland Athletics. Nevertheless, numerous bright spots, including a pair of rookies in first baseman Nick Kurtz and shortstop Jacob Wilson, have emerged. Even though the AL All-Star team is likely locked in by now, it's still been fun to see the home run barrage he's been on lately. X (formerly Twitter) account Just Baseball broke down his recent pace over the last few games.
Nick Kurtz is unreal.
He has now hit a homer in 2 straight games and 3 of his last 4 games. That’s 16 on the year!
pic.twitter.com/KbGBITbUpm— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 12, 2025
“Nick Kurtz is unreal,” posted baseball focused account Just Baseball on the social media platform. “He has now hit a homer in 2 straight games and 3 of his last 4 games. That's 16 on the year!”
Kurtz's game has rebounded over the last few weeks, as he came off a rough patch earlier in the campaign. Now, he's solidifying his spot in the heart of the A's lineup. With his 16 home runs on the season, a shot at 20 plus dingers seems plausible. In fact, if he doubled his current total, then 32 would be the final tally. Should the league and other parties have given Kurtz a shot at joining the roster alongside Wilson, his fellow rookie? It certainly would have been a fun sight to see for fans across the league.
Athletics hope that Nick Kurtz will become franchise cornerstone
Both Kurtz and Wilson are two of the Athletics' most recent first round picks. Wilson was the sixth overall selection in 2023, while Kurtz was picked fourth last year. Now, both of them are proving they belong in the major leagues. Wilson was selected as the AL's starting shortstop for next week's All-Star Game in Atlanta. Although an injury will keep him out of the Midsummer Classic, Wilson's rookie season has easily made him the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year.
However, if Kurtz continues his current pace, especially throughout the second half, then he could overtake his teammate in that race. Either way, the play of both Wilson and Kurtz has been a lot of fun to watch for baseball fans across the board. Will both players become the franchise cornerstones that so many hope they will be? If so, Las Vegas will be a lot brighter in three years.
