Overview
- Nick Kurtz’s streak reached 19 on Thursday in a 6-3 win over the Royals, when reliever John Schreiber issued an intentional walk that tied Ted Williams for third all time.
- Kurtz leads MLB with 33 walks through 30 games, reflecting a patient approach that has pushed his on-base percentage to roughly .415 early this season.
- He now trails Barry Bonds’ 20-game run by one and Roy Cullenbine’s single-season record of 22 by three, with MLB tracking individual walks since 1910 in the NL and 1913 in the AL.
- The 19th walk came at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, the A’s temporary home, where Thursday’s victory also extended Kurtz’s on-base streak to 25 games.
- The reigning 2025 AL Rookie of the Year, who hit .290 with 36 homers last season, said he is not up there hunting walks and credited laying off bad pitches for the surge.