Athletics put All-Star 1B Nick Kurtz on 10-day IL

The Oakland Athletics placed star first baseman Nick Kurtz on the 10-day injured list on Saturday, July 11, with a right thumb capsule sprain, an injury that will force him to miss Tuesday's All-Star Game in Philadelphia. The move is retroactive to Friday, July 10, when Kurtz did not play in the Athletics' 14-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Kurtz, 23, was set to start at first base for the American League after Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. withdrew from the exhibition. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year is batting .266 with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs in 92 games this season. His placement on the injured list marks the second such stint of his young career, following a left hip flexor strain in May 2025.

The thumb injury's origin remains unclear. Kurtz exited a game against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, July -8, after one and a half innings, with the club initially attributing his departure to illness. However, he also appeared to hurt his hand while attempting to field a throw in the bottom of the first inning that day. He returned as the designated hitter on Thursday, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, before being sidelined Friday.

In a corresponding roster move, the...