Nick

Kurtz

Lawrence Butler has been dropped to eighth in the order after leading off four of their last six games. Kurtz has been mired in an unexpected slump at the dish this season, hitting .200/.380/.291 with eight runs scored, two homers, three RBI and two steals through 16 games. The fact that he’s struck out in nearly 40 percent of his 71 plate appearances is a big concern but he’s still getting on-base at a near-elite rate.

Kurtz’s homer was a 106.5-mph drive to right off Freddy Peralta. It was strictly a three-true-outcomes day for the 23-year-old, as he also walked and struck out twice. He’s walked (14 times) or struck out (24 times) in 59 percent of his 63 plate appearances this season.

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay has decided to shake up his lineup card for this series with Butler leading off in back-to-back contests with an ice-cold Nick Kurtz hitting second. The move is an obvious plus for Butler, if it sticks, since it would lead to additional stolen base chances and opportunities to score more runs than being marooned at the bottom of the order. The 25-year-old power/speed combo threat is hitting .189 (7-for-37) with one homer, four RBI and one steal through 12 games. Hopefully this decision helps get both Butler and Kurtz going in the right direction.

Kurtz got a fastball over the heart of the plate from Yankees starter Cam Schlittler and didn’t miss it, scalding a 115.1 mph double into the right-center field gap in the third inning to bring home a pair of runs. It was his lone hit in five at-bats out of the leadoff spot in this one. He’s gotten off to a painfully slow start at the plate, but there’s zero reason for fantasy managers to be concerned yet.

Kurtz’s steal was the first of the year. He also drew three walks while hitting at the top of the order. Fantasy managers are still patiently — or they should be patient, anyway — waiting for Kurtz to hit that first homer, but a .361 on-base percentage suggests that he’s picking the baseball up well. He’ll be fine.

Kurtz finds himself in the leadoff spot for the fifth time in seven starts this season. The 23-year-old reigning AL Rookie of the Year has gone hitless in 12 at-bats over his last three games and is batting .048 (1-for-21) with 13 strikeouts and five walks this season. It’s too early to be concerned but it’s a bit surprising to see him mired in an extended slump given how comfortable he looked during the final few months of last year.

It’s just a routine day off with a day game after a night game, but it will come with Chris Sale on the mound, which isn’t a terrible thing. Lawrence Butler will also get a day off, although his is a bit more platoon-based. Andy Ibanez will start at first base, and Austin Wynns will enter the lineup at catcher with Shea Langeliers moving to DH.

Kurtz moves to the heart of the order with Braves lefty José Suarez taking the hill on Tuesday night at Truist Park after batting leadoff in four consecutive games to open the season. It’ll be Jacob Wilson taking over atop the lineup with Shea Langeliers dropped to the fifth spot. It remains to be seen whether this is a one-off matchup-related decision or a more permanent change. The 23-year-old reigning AL Rookie of the Year has gotten off to an ice-cold start this season, hitting .077 (1-for-13) with eight strikeouts through four games. We’re not concerned in the slightest considering how microscopic of a sample size we’re dissecting here. It’s only a matter of time before Kurtz gets going.

He hit first in 18 games last year, so it’s not a total surprise, but we hope it doesn’t cut into his RBI totals too much. The rest of the Athletics lineup against RHP Kevin Gausman is pretty much as expected: Kurtz, C Shea Langeliers, LF Tyler Soderstrom, DH Brent Rooker, SS Jacob Wilson, RF Lawrence Butler, 3B Max Muncy, 2B Jeff McNeil, and CF Denzel Clarke.

Spring training stats don’t matter but we’re obligated to point out that Kurtz is apparently saving all of his hits for the regular season. The 23-year-old elite slugger is batting .205 (9-for-44) with three homers in 17 Cactus League contests. There is zero reason to be concerned.