The Athletics announced Saturday that first baseman Nick Kurtz has been placed on the 10-day injured list after being diagnosed with a right thumb capsule sprain.
The 23-year-old had already missed Friday’s 14-1 defeat to the Chicago White Sox and will now also be absent from Tuesday’s All-Star Game, set to take place in Philadelphia.
Kurtz had earned the starting spot for the American League at first base after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays withdrew due to a back injury.
The thumb issue appears to have originated during Wednesday’s 6-1 loss in Detroit, when Kurtz left the game after just one and a half innings. The team initially attributed his early exit to illness, but he was also seen appearing to injure his hand while attempting to field a throw in the bottom of the first inning. He returned as the designated hitter the following day, going hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts during Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Tigers.
Through 92 games this season, Kurtz is hitting .266 with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs. Last year, he claimed the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year award after posting a .290 batting average, 36 home runs, and 86 RBIs across just 117 games.
To fill the roster spot, the Athletics recalled catcher Brian Serven from Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday. The 31-year-old appeared in one major league game this season — a 9-8 loss to the Miami Marlins on Sunday — going 1-for-4. With Las Vegas, Serven has put together a strong year, batting .308 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs in 55 games.
