Despite the lack of tangible results, it became clear that in 2025, the Athletics were no longer the same team we had been accustomed to in years past.
Playing their first season in their temporary home of Sacramento, Calif., the Athletics finished with a 76-86 record, good for fourth place in the American League West Division.
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However, the tide began to turn for Athletics fans last offseason when, for the first time in years, the front office actually made moves to improve their club, bringing in the likes of starting pitchers Luis Severino and Jeffery Springs.
Additionally, the Athletics got sensational performances from rookies Jacob Wilson and Nick Kurtz, who broke out onto the scene and established themselves as some of baseball’s best hitters in 2025.
Wilson was named the AL starting shortstop at this summer’s All-Star Game and was one of the best pure hitters in all of baseball, finishing with a .311 batting average.
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Typically, someone who hits .311 would have a pretty good case to be the Rookie of the Year, but Kurtz, his teammate, put up a season that we have rarely seen from a rookie.
Kurtz absolutely burst onto the scene, having one of the best seasons in all of baseball last year, hitting .290 with 36 home runs and 86 RBI.
On July 25th, Kurtz turned in a performance from the history books, as he slugged four home runs in a game against the Houston Astros, becoming the first rookie in MLB history to reach the mark.
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Not only did Kurtz slug the four home runs, but he also added two more hits in a 6-6 night that featured eight RBI and 19 total bases.
The Athletics also got yet another solid season from Brent Rooker and a breakout year from 23-year-old Tyler Soderstrom, leading to him inking the biggest contract extension in franchise history this winter.
That historic signing wasn’t the only one the Athletics made as they also traded for New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil.
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Now, Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado was also almost an Athletic as the club reportedly had a deal in place to acquire him before he declined to waive his no-trade clause.
With the return of their strong young core and the solid starting staff, the Athletics could cause some problems in an AL West that appears pretty wide open at the moment.
As was proven last year, the Rangers will not be able to let up when they take on the Athletics this season.
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