A's Star Nick Kurtz Struggling with Plate Discipline

Concerning underlying metrics raise questions about the young slugger's sophomore slump.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 2:23pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball player's batting stance and swing broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a vibrant color palette, conveying the complex mechanics and challenges Kurtz is facing at the plate.Kurtz's swing mechanics are under the microscope as the young A's slugger struggles to make consistent contact at the plate.Oakland Today

Oakland Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz burst onto the scene as a rookie, but his sophomore campaign has gotten off to a rocky start. Kurtz is batting just .220 with a .628 OPS and has yet to hit a home run. A deeper dive into his advanced stats reveals some worrying trends, including a high 41.1% whiff rate and a low 15.9% 'squared-up' percentage, despite maintaining an elite 97.0 mph average exit velocity.

Why it matters

Kurtz was expected to be a key part of the Athletics' lineup this season, so his early struggles are concerning for the team and its fans. If the young slugger can't get back on track, it could hamper the A's offense and playoff hopes.

The details

Kurtz's plate discipline issues are the main culprit behind his slow start. His whiff rate of 41.1% is the fifth-worst in MLB, meaning he's missing nearly half the pitches he swings at. Even when he makes contact, the quality hasn't been there, with his 'squared-up' percentage ranking in just the 8th percentile league-wide. The combination of poor contact and swing-and-miss problems is puzzling given Kurtz's elite 97.0 mph average exit velocity, which leads the majors.

  • Kurtz burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2025.
  • This season, Kurtz is off to a .220 batting average and .628 OPS start through the first month of the 2026 campaign.

The players

Nick Kurtz

A 23-year-old first baseman for the Oakland Athletics who had a breakout rookie season in 2025 but is struggling with his plate discipline so far in 2026.

Oakland Athletics

The MLB team that Kurtz plays for, who are hoping the young slugger can turn things around and provide a boost to their lineup and playoff hopes.

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What they’re saying

“It's still a small sample size, so things could normalize at some point. But it's worth noting that his whiff percentage was six percentage points healthier last season, and his squared-up percentage was four percentage points healthier last season.”

— Billy Heyen, Author

What’s next

If Kurtz can't get his plate discipline and contact issues under control in the coming weeks, the Athletics may need to consider adjustments to his approach or lineup role to help get him back on track.

The takeaway

Kurtz's early-season struggles are a concerning development for the Athletics, as the young slugger was expected to be a key part of their lineup this year. However, there is still time for him to turn things around, and the team will be closely monitoring his progress at the plate in the weeks ahead.