Kurtz debuts, Langeliers’ four-hit night powers A’s past Rangers

Athletics top prospect Nick Kurtz singled in his MLB debut on Wednesday night during a 5-2 win over Texas at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento.

BY FIELD LEVEL MEDIA

Apr 24, 2025, 6:01 AM Updated: 7:00 am

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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 23: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics reacts after he hit his first Ma...

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Shea Langeliers went 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI and Lawrence Butler homered to lead the Athletics to a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday in West Sacramento, Calif.

Gio Urshela added two doubles and an RBI for the A’s, who snapped a two-game losing streak. First baseman Nick Kurtz, rated the team’s No. 1 prospect and 35th overall by MLB Pipeline, hit an RBI single in his first major league at-bat and finished 1-for-4.

Athletics starter JP Sears (3-2) allowed two runs on five hits in five-plus innings. He walked one and struck out five. Mason Miller, who hit 102 mph on the radar gun with a fastball to Marcus Semien, struck out three in the ninth for his seventh save in seven tries.

One year ago, Nick Kurtz was playing college baseball at Wake Forest.

After batting .336 over 32 minor league games, he picks up his first MLB hit in his very first at-bat here in Sacramento. pic.twitter.com/5u4NM0jaR6

— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) April 24, 2025

Athletics vs. Rangers recap

Wyatt Langford homered and Kyle Higashioka doubled for Texas. Kumar Rocker (1-3) gave up five runs on seven hits over 1 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two.

The Athletics, who entered the contest with the fewest home wins in the majors (2-8) while getting outscored 70-38 in the process, jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning.

Butler led off with a 425-foot homer to center, capping an eight-pitch at-bat. One out later, Tyler Soderstrom doubled, and he scored on a single by Langeliers. With two outs, Jacob Wilson singled and Kurtz followed with a ground single to center to drive in Langeliers. Urshela then knocked in Wilson with a single.

The A’s made it 5-0 in the second inning when Wilson, batting with the bases loaded, drew his first walk of the season. It was his 88th plate appearance of the year. Rocker had walked two before reliever Jacob Latz walked JJ Bleday and Wilson.

Texas cut into the deficit in the fourth on Langford’s sixth homer of the season, a 431-foot solo blast to left-center, and closed within 5-2 in the sixth inning on an RBI groundout by Adolis Garcia, driving in Kevin Pillar, who singled.

Texas’ Joc Pederson ended an 0-for-41 slump with a two-out, pinch-hit double to center in the ninth. Miller rebounded to strike out Heim to end the game.

–Field Level Media

More on Athletics top prospect Nick Kurtz

The Athletics have called up top prospect Nick Kurtz ahead of their home series against the Texas Rangers, per MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos.

Kurtz, 22, has been raking with Triple-A Las Vegas, batting .321 with seven home runs and 24 RBI over just 20 games.

In 32 career minor league appearances, Kurtz has hit 11 home runs and driven in 37 runs while holding a .336 batting average, .432 on-base percentage, and almost unbelievable 1.121 on-base plus slugging percentage.

Oakland used its 4th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft on the former Wake Forest first baseman, who has thus far held true to his reputation as a power-hitting threat with a strong eye (NCAA-leading 78 walks in 2024).

Kurtz, 21, is 6’5 and 240 pounds and hits from the left side of the plate.