Nick Kurtz Just Tied Ted Williams With 19 Straight Games of a Walk and Barry Bonds Is Next

The Oakland A's walked out of Sacramento with a 6-3 win on Tuesday, and Nick Kurtz left with something even bigger: a spot in baseball history. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year drew an intentional walk in the seventh inning, extending his consecutive games with a walk to 19, tying Ted Williams for the third-longest streak since walks started being officially tracked in 1910 for the National League and 1913 for the American League.

Only two hitters have ever done it longer. Roy Cullenbine holds the record at 22 games back in 1947, and Barry Bonds went on a 20-game tear in 2002-03. Right now, Kurtz is hunting Bonds.

The Kid's Got an Elite Eye, and It's Showing Everywhere

What makes this streak even more impressive is that Kurtz isn't just fouling pitches and getting lucky. He's destroying the baseball when he gets his pitch. On Thursday, he ripped a two-run double in the fourth inning that came off his bat at 115.9 mph, the kind of exit velocity that makes pitchers lose sleep. That double sparked a four-run inning and pushed his on-base streak to 25 consecutive games. This guy isn't just working counts and drawing walks. He's hitting and walking and doing damage when he connects.

April Showed the A's Are Building Something Real

With Thursday's victory, Oakland finished April at 16-10, their best April record since 2014 when they went 18-9. Early-season momentum like that matters. The A's have weapons at the plate, and Kurtz is leading the way.

Next up: Barry Bonds' record. Twenty games with a walk. Kurtz is one game away from tying him. One game away from sitting alone as the third-best in baseball history since walks started being tracked. Keep your eyes on Sacramento because this could get unforgettable real fast.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.