WEST SACRAMENTO – Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson were both out of the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Tigers at Sutter Health Park, and the longer-term outlook appears a bit clearer for one than the other.
A’s manager Mark Kotsay revealed before the game that Wilson is dealing with patellar tendonitis, though the injury is manageable and the shortstop is expected back for Tuesday’s series opener against the Reds in Cincinnati. Kurtz, meanwhile, will see a hand specialist on Monday in Los Angeles to examine his right thumb, which has remained a nagging issue since his return from the injured list last week.
“We’re going to try to wait to see what comes from that appointment,” Kotsay said of Kurtz. “Hopefully, there’s more positive to it. But at this point, we’ll wait to make a decision on him until after he sees the doctor.”
The All-Star first baseman and reigning American League Rookie of the Year is putting together a strong sophomore campaign, entering Sunday batting .256 with an .879 OPS, 21 home runs and 69 RBIs in 99 games, ranking third in the Majors in walks (79) and third in on-base percentage (.396). There has been a clear drop-off in production from Kurtz, however, since about mid-June.
Over his last 22 games, Kurtz is hitting just .123 (9-for-73) with a .415 OPS, two homers and eight RBIs. That stretch includes a stint on the IL from July 10-24 with a right thumb capsule strain, which was recently reaggravated, leading to his appointment with the hand specialist.
“Kurtz has been playing mostly for the last month and a half with this thing,” Kotsay said. “You look at the performance, and you can tell something has an impact on that.”
Wilson has battled a few different injuries. It began with a left shoulder subluxation in May that kept him out for a month. That shoulder will likely require surgery at some point later this year. He also sustained a right thumb injury in June that caused him to miss some time, and now is dealing with patellar tendonitis, which Kotsay said is a result of wear and tear over the season.
With the A’s where they are in the standings – fourth place in the AL West at 45-66 and entering Sunday having lost 24 of their last 29 games – and players such as Brent Rooker, Shea Langeliers and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer likely out for the rest of the season, it would be easy for Kurtz and Wilson to call it a year. But both remain adamant about finishing on their terms, something Kotsay can’t help but admire.
“There’s not a guy in that locker room who doesn’t want to be on the field,” Kotsay said. “Even Shea. You look at Shea, and he’s optimistic about having a chance to come back. … They don’t care about their personal success. They only care about the team’s success. That’s why they want to continue to go out and play. From that standpoint, that’s character. That’s what we have in this locker room. That’s what I’m proud of. For these guys to believe in each other and want to be out there, that says a lot about the group.”
With two months left in the regular season, a large part of the focus for the A’s for the rest of the way shifts to the young players who are now getting a chance to play in the big leagues as a result of so many injuries, such as Tommy White, Henry Bolte, Gage Jump, Jack Perkins and Mason Barnett. For those players, this final stretch will present valuable development time and an opportunity to establish themselves.
“The only way to look at this is, there’s opportunity for guys to step in and show us that they’re capable of contributing to this club’s success,” Kotsay said. “Not to say that the opportunity for us to turn things around and have the type of success it would take to stay around a playoff spot isn’t there. We’re going to continue to keep the optimism and continue to focus on both winning games and pouring into the young players that are on the roster to improve them and get as much out of them as big leaguers as we can.”