Oakland Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz, who was absolutely set to start at first base for the American League at next week's All-Star Game, just got placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right thumb sprain. Talk about a gut punch right before the big show. This is brutal news for A's fans and anyone looking forward to seeing him rep the AL in the starting lineup.
The All-Star Game Loses a Starter, Other Position Players Take Hits
Kurtz's thumb injury is a massive blow, taking a key power bat out of the Midsummer Classic before it even starts. But he wasn't the only player hitting the IL or leaving a game this weekend. Over in Houston, Astros center fielder Brice Matthews left Sunday's game against Texas with a left knee injury. The 24-year-old, a Houston native, crashed hard into the wall trying to pull back a Josh Jung hit. The ball fell, it was a triple, and Matthews was on his right knee for minutes while trainer Eric Velazquez checked on him. Manager Joe Espada was right there, too. Matthews did finish that inning, facing one more batter, but he was pinch-hit for in the second by Taylor Trammell. Matthews has played 81 games this season, hitting .197 after making his big league debut last summer in 13 games. You never want to see a guy go down crashing into a wall, especially a young player finding his footing in the majors.Pitching Staffs Get Ripped Up Around The League
It wasn't just position players dealing with the injury bug. The Arizona Diamondbacks put right-hander Zac Gallen on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation. This is a huge deal for the D-backs, especially since Gallen was supposed to start Sunday's final game before the All-Star break. Manager Torey Lovullo announced the change late Saturday, and now left-hander Mitch Bratt, 23, is recalled to start against the Dodgers. Gallen, 30, has been struggling for more than a month, folks. Since May 29, he's gone 0-5 with an ugly 8.24 ERA over his past eight starts. On the season, he’s 3-9 with a 6.34 ERA over 19 starts. Lovullo said, "I think he felt something and he spoke up and that's when we decided to get him examined." A timeline for his recovery is supposed to come out during the All-Star break. This is a guy who was an NL All-Star in 2023 and finished third in Cy Young voting, so the D-backs need him healthy. Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers placed veteran reliever Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list on Sunday with a right shoulder injury. This is a recurring issue for the 40-year-old, who was just activated on July 4 from the IL for the same shoulder problem. He's made four appearances since then, giving up five runs in 3 2/3 innings. On the season, Martin is 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA and has given up 25 hits in just 14 innings across 16 games. Texas recalled right-hander Emiliano Teodo from Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move. The league is taking some serious hits right now, with All-Stars and key contributors going down. For the A's, they're losing an All-Star starter. The Diamondbacks are now without a struggling but vital ace, and the Rangers are hoping their bullpen doesn't totally implode. These teams will be looking for others to step up big time as the All-Star break rolls in and the second half approaches.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.