WEST SACRAMENTO -- Ted Williams has company. Barry Bonds is on the horizon.
Nick Kurtz is rubbing shoulders with some of baseball’s all-time greats as his ongoing Athletics-record walk streak continues to reach historic heights. Intentionally walked in the seventh inning of Thursday's 6-3 win over the Royals at Sutter Health Park, Kurtz has now drawn at least one walk in 19 consecutive games, tying Williams for the third-longest streak since walks first started being tracked for individual hitters (1910 in NL, 1913 in AL). Next on the list is Bonds, who walked in 20 straight games from 2002-03.
Most consecutive games with a walk
1947 Roy Cullenbine: 22
2002-03 Barry Bonds: 20
2026 Nick Kurtz: 19 (active)
1941 Ted Williams: 19
“It’s crazy,” Kurtz said of the names on that list. “I don’t know if anyone should be compared to Barry Bonds. But to be in the same discussion, even if it is about walks, is pretty cool.”
Kurtz’s elite eye at the plate was a big reason why the A’s felt comfortable placing him on a hyper-fast track to the big leagues, as he debuted in the Majors last April just 283 days after he was selected fourth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. Even as he got off to a slow start offensively this year, Kurtz has maintained that plate discipline, now leading the Majors with 33 walks, the most walks before May by any hitter since Bryce Harper (38) in 2018.
“The main thing we’re seeing is, even though he wasn’t getting hits, he was being patient, being selective and at least getting on base by taking his walks,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “We’re still seeing that. This streak has been really impressive. To be named alongside one of the best baseball players to play the game, it’s pretty impressive.”
Of course, we all know Kurtz is more than just a guy who can draw walks. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year is back to regularly scorching the ball all over the yard with his two-run double in the fourth inning on Thursday, roped at an exit velocity of 115.9 mph to highlight a four-run inning for the A’s.
That double extended another streak for Kurtz, who has now reached base safely in 25 consecutive games. That’s the second-longest active on-base streak in the Majors and one shy of Kurtz’s career-best of 26 games set last year. During this streak, Kurtz is batting .270 (24-for-89) with five homers, four doubles, 15 RBIs and 29 walks.
“He’s incredible,” A’s catcher Shea Langeliers said of Kurtz. “Just thinking from my perspective as a catcher, I can’t imagine how tough it is to gameplan against him. It makes sense that he’s earning all these walks. The patience at the plate and the eye to lay off tough pitches is second to none.”
Kurtz and Langeliers were fittingly key contributors in the final game of what was a successful month of April, which saw the A’s finish with a record of 16-10 to post their best record in April since going 18-9 in 2014. Langeliers smacked three doubles, including an RBI two-bagger to spark a four-run second.
“Today was a day where you needed some guys to step up offensively, and we saw that,” Kotsay said. “The at-bats were really good throughout the lineup.”
Langeliers’ 41 hits on the season are second-most in the Majors behind only Yordan Alvarez (42), and his 15 multi-hit games are tied with teammate Jacob Wilson for most in MLB.
The only thing that might stop the slugging backstop is the birth of his first child. Langeliers’ wife, Raegan, has a tentative due date of Friday.
“I’m nervous, excited and kind of on edge,” Langeliers said. “Just can’t wait for our baby boy to get here. The technical due date is tomorrow, so kind of just waiting and seeing.”
As for the rest of these A’s, they’re now 17-14 on the year and remain in first place in the AL West, with momentum only building as they’ve won or split seven of their last eight series.
“When we show up to the field, it’s not like a ‘hope’ that we’re going to win,” Kurtz said. “It’s a, ‘We’re going to do it.’”