Nick Kurtz Ties Athletics Legend With 46 Game On-Base Streak
Nick Kurtz continues to demolish franchise records in his second year with the Athletics. On Saturday night, Kurtz extended his impressive on-base streak to 46 games, tying Athletics' legend and Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson for the third-longest in team history.
Kurtz has been nothing short of an on-base machine in his first two years in the league. He has the rare combination of an incredibly accurate batter's eye and game-changing power, forcing pitchers to exercise caution when he's at the plate. The result is an impressive career OBP of .403, with 113 walks through 167 career games. So far in 2026, he leads the majors with 50 free passes, and between April 10th and May 1st, Kurtz drew walks in a franchise record 20 consecutive games.
A's longest on-base streaks:
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 24, 2026
1995-96 Mark McGwire: 62 games
1932 Jimmie Foxx: 47
2026 Nick Kurtz: 46 *active
1980-81 Rickey Henderson: 46
1917 Ping Bodie: 43 https://t.co/0NQKiLH5Y6
The second-year first baseman made headlines earlier this year, becoming the third left-handed batter in MLB history to hit 30 home runs, drive in 100 runs, and draw 100 walks through their first 162 games. The other two players on that list? Ted Williams and Juan Soto. The only thing that is more impressive than that list is the fact that Kurtz is the only one of the three to have more than 40 home runs during that span.
Kurtz tied Henderson's record with a hard-hit single to deep right-center field in the bottom of the first inning on Saturday against the San Diego Padres. If he can reach base in the next two games, Kurtz would surpass Jimmie Foxx's on-base streak of 47 consecutive games and hold sole possession of second on the franchise's all-time list. First place belongs to Mark McGwire, who reached base in a staggering 62 consecutive games across the 1995 and 1996 seasons. McGwire also holds the single-season on-base record for the Athletics, which sits at 48.
A's longest single-season on-base streaks:
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 24, 2026
1996 Mark McGwire: 48 games
1932 Jimmie Foxx: 47
2026 Nick Kurtz: 46 *active
1917 Ping Bodie: 43
1933 Jimmie Foxx: 42
1949 Eddie Joost: 41
1929 Jimmie Foxx: 40
While his .443 OBP currently leads the major leagues, Kurtz is well off his home run pace from last year, with just eight so far in 2026. The trade-off between power and patience at the plate has been a major catalyst for the team's revival this year. To the surprise of many, it is a third of the way through the season, and the Athletics occupy first place in the AL West division.
If Kurtz can get on base during Sunday's game, he has the chance to surpass Foxx at home on Monday against the Seattle Mariners.
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This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 12:04 AM.