Overview
- A’s manager Mark Kotsay said the team gave Kurtz a PRP injection for his right thumb and expects about four weeks of immobilization, a timeline the club views as making a return this season unlikely.
- Kurtz first landed on the injured list in mid-July with a thumb capsule sprain, briefly returned for seven games with minimal production, and was placed back on the IL after the injury flared.
- Oakland has shifted to a platoon at first base using Jeff McNeil and rookie Tommy White while Donovan Walton moves to second when McNeil plays first, and the club is evaluating other internal depth pieces.
- Kurtz entered July as one of baseball’s top hitters but has produced only 49 plate appearances since mid-July at a sharply reduced clip, and his loss coincides with the A’s offensive slump that has deepened their slide.
- The A’s chose a conservative, non-surgical approach with the PRP and brace, a decision that sets a defined August timeline and will shape short-term roster moves and trade-deadline planning.