Athletics star Nick Kurtz earns both AL Player and Rookie of the Month for July originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
It is a Big Amish summer.
Athletics star first baseman Nick Kurtz earned both AL Player of the Month and AL Rookie of the Month for his electric contributions in July. It is his first career AL Player of the Month and second consecutive AL Rookie of the Month.
Over 23 games in July, Kurtz slashed .395/.480/.953 with a 1.433 OPS. He collected 34 hits and 27 RBI with 11 home runs. The 22-year-old led the AL in on-base percentage (.480), doubles (13), OPS, RBI, extra-base hits (25), total bases (82) and slugging (.953).
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Kurtz stamped the stellar month with a six-for-six game in a 15-3 rout of the Houston Astros on July 25, in which he hit four home runs, collected six hits, drove in eight runs and totaled 19 bases at Daikin Park.
“I don’t really know how to describe that one,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay told reporters that night in Houston. “It’s arguably the best game I’ve ever watched from a single player.”
Kurtz, the A’s No. 4 overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft, is the 10th player ever to take home both awards in the same month. He joins Ryan Braun (July 2007), Buster Posey (July 2010), Mike Trout (July 2012), Yasiel Puig (June 2013), Jose Abreu (April and July 2014), Gary Sanchez (Aug. 2016), Aaron Judge (June and Sept. 2017), Aristides Aquino (Aug. 2019) and Wyatt Langford (Sept. 2024).
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It seemed that Kurtz’s teammate, Jacob Wilson, was a lock for AL Rookie of the Year for much of the 2025 MLB season, especially after becoming the first fan-elected rookie ever to start an All-Star Game.
Kurtz, though, might be the frontrunner after his ridiculous July. But the award truly could go to either of the A’s rookie sensations.