The Athletics will hope to improve their 2025 record this year. After pulling out of their Oakland base and starting to play in Sacramento’s minor league park, the A’s on-field and off-field antics both need an overhaul. And if USA Today’s prediction is anything to go by, the team might just have a chance in 2026. Enter their first baseman, Nick Kurtz. While the A’s postseason run this year is still unpredictable. Kurtz is projected to make Aaron Judge run for his money.

“It’d be ridiculous to think that the Baseball Writers’ Association of America would even consider an MVP on a team that barely scratches the surface of 80 wins. However, if the A’s are going to have any kind of success, Kurtz might have a lot to do with that,” USA Today’s Marcus D. Smith made a bold prediction.

Well, despite the A’s journey being limited till the regular season last year, Kurtz made a mark. He scored 36 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 5.4 bWAR in 117 games last year. His .290 average even topped established names like Alex Bregman (.273) and Kyle Tucker (.266). Moreover, at just 23 years old, his prime is still ahead of him.

Also, his record-breaking run last year just didn’t end there. For instance, on July 25, Kurtz became the first rookie player in A’s history to launch four home runs in the same game. Moreover, his -6 OAA was tied for fifth-worst among qualified first basemen. But is it still enough to dethrone the AL MVP regular, Aaron Judge?

Kurtz last year scored 1.002 OPS from 489 plate appearances. So, if the A’s could reach the postseason this year and play a few more games over 162, Kurtz might surprise a few. Last year, he was the only name after Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani who finished with an OPS of 1.000 or higher with at least that many plate appearances.

“You might think this is too early and too soon, but did you see what this guy did in 2025? In only 117 games, Kurtz had 36 homers and put up slash numbers that rivaled Judge’s in every way,” MLB.com’s Will Leitch said. So, it’s now on the A’s to reach a minimum of 80 wins this year and push the team to the postseason.

Though the A’s haven’t reached the postseason since 2020 or won a World Series since 1989, even a brief playoff run could give Nick Kurtz the momentum to challenge Aaron Judge. The Yankees captain finished last season with a .331 average. So Kurtz would take some more games to accelerate, but only if the A’s pitching staff is tough enough.

The A’s offensive core, powered by Kurtz, needs pitching support

Let’s be honest here, baseball is a team game, and Nick Kurtz alone could not keep the A’s offense alive for the whole season. This year, their offense would be headlined by Kurtz, sluggers Shea Langeliers, Brent Rooker, and Tyler Soderstrom, an elite contact hitter in AL Rookie of the Year runner-up Jacob Wilson, and Lawrence Butler.

Apart from Kurtz, Langeliers also had a dominant season last year. He finished off with 31 homers at .277. Langeliers has opened the new season with three HRs at a .625 average! Then, Rooker is coming off 30 HRs at .262.

Soderstrom scored 25 HRs at .276, and Wilson is coming off a .311 average. Their offensive core shows enough power hitting to go beyond 80 wins.

“They’ll score plenty of runs at Sutter Health Park, a Triple-A hitter’s haven. But will they prevent enough?” ESPN’s Jorge Castillo said about the A’s. “One of the most fun offenses in baseball. Do they have enough in the rotation?” CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder agrees.

So yes, the insiders are all certain that the A’s offense would make a mark this year, but the rotation might not. Last year, their starting rotation finished the season with a 4.85 ERA, which was fourth-highest in MLB. So, this year, a lot will ride on Luis Severino, Luis Morales, and Gage Jump to offer better production.

If the A’s offense could get adequate support from their pitching staff, fans could at least expect a name like Kurtz in the MVP race.