Nick Kurtz might have locked up the American League Rookie of the Year Award on Friday night in Houston.
The Athletics rookie crushed four homers, collected six hits and drove in eight runs in a 15-3 win over the Astros at Daikin Park.
Kurtz is the first player in the long, storied history of the Athletics franchise to hit four homers in a game and the first rookie ever to accomplish the feat.
The 2024 first-round draft pick now is the 20th player in MLB history to go deep four times in a game and the youngest by nearly three years.
Moments after his historic performance, Kurtz had trouble finding the words to describe what he had just accomplished.
“It’s hard to think about this day being, you know, kind of real,” Kurtz told Chris Caray and Dallas Braden on “A’s Cast” following the win. “Still feels like a dream. So it’s just, it’s pretty remarkable. I’m kind of speechless. I don’t really know what to say.”
Kurtz is authoring one of the greatest starts to an MLB career, as he now has 22 homers and 59 RBI in his first 66 big-league games to along with a 1.060 OPS following Friday’s performance.
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay has seen a lot in nearly 30 years in professional baseball, but nothing quite stacks up to what Kurtz did Friday night.
“I don’t really know how to describe that one,” Kotsay told reporters in Houston. “It’s arguably the best game I’ve ever watched from a single player. And I say that because, I watched Barry Bonds and the season he had. I was in center field for it. And what Barry did was hands-down one of the greatest seasons you can have. Shawn Green is a memory you have, I think Shawn hit four homers in a game in Dodger Stadium. But tonight was special. This kid continues to have jaw-dropping moments. And to witness that tonight was pretty special for all of us.”
The Athletics took Kurtz with the No. 4 overall pick on July 14 last year, and they clearly hit a home run with that selection.
Just over a year later, the Wake Forest product arguably is the hottest big-league hitter at the moment.
It’s a remarkable ascension for the 22-year-old.
“It’s absolutely crazy,” Kurtz told Caray and Braden. “To think a year ago I was probably in Arizona right now, right after the draft and just getting ready to go out and play in Stockton and now I’m here and today kind of happened, it’s insane. I kinda, I don’t know what to say Dallas. I mean I got no idea.”
Maybe even more remarkable is that Kurtz’s family made it to Houston just in time to watch his otherworldly performance.
“To see Pops and Mom there and the godparents as well, it’s pretty awesome to have them here,” Kurtz told Caray and Braden. “[They] just got in this morning, so going to be here is really cool.”
There are over two months left in the 2025 season, but it might be a safe bet to start inscribing Kurtz’s name on the AL Rookie of the Year award. He has been that good over the last few weeks.