Athletics’ Jacob Wilson moves closer to return, Nick Kurtz set for hand specialist

The Oakland Athletics received a small boost in clarity Sunday at Sutter Health Park, where both Jacob Wilson and Nick Kurtz were out of the lineup for the series finale against the Detroit Tigers. With the next games approaching quickly, manager Mark Kotsay addressed the club’s status updates before the finale, offering different timelines for two issues that have affected the infield and the A’s everyday position players.

Kotsay said Wilson is dealing with patellar tendonitis. The injury, while real enough to keep the shortstop out of Sunday’s lineup, appears controlled in the sense that the Athletics expect him back for the Tuesday series opener against the Cincinnati Reds. For Oakland, that matters beyond the day-to-day question of who is in uniform, because Wilson’s presence at shortstop shapes the team’s defensive structure and helps stabilize a lineup still searching for consistent production and rhythm.

Kurtz’s situation is more about precision and evaluation than immediate timing. Kotsay reported that Kurtz will visit a hand specialist on Monday in Los Angeles to examine his right thumb. According to the team’s explanation ahead of Sunday’s game, the thumb issue has remained a nagging problem since his return from the injured list last week. In other words, the Athletics are treating the remaining discomfort and its impact on performance as something that may require a deeper look before they can decide how to manage it going forward.

The two updates also show how quickly the Athletics’ week can hinge on medical decisions. Wilson’s case is framed as something manageable in the short term, with a specific expectation to be available for the next series opener. Kurtz’s case, by contrast, is framed around a specialist appointment, which suggests the organization is seeking more targeted information on what the thumb condition is and how best to keep it from lingering as the schedule tightens.

The setting for both absences matters. Sunday’s game functioned as a series finale, and the Athletics were making choices based on the immediate health of key position players. With a new opponent arriving for the start of the next set of games, the club’s ability to reset its lineup quickly becomes especially important. One player returning as expected can help carry continuity into Cincinnati, while any additional findings on Kurtz’s thumb could affect how Oakland balances the infield and the role of its reserve options over the following days.

For fans watching this week closely, the key question is how the Athletics define “manageable” for Wilson and what the specialist determines for Kurtz. Wilson’s expected return for Tuesday provides a near-term reference point for his recovery plan. Kurtz’s appointment, meanwhile, is the pivot that will determine whether the thumb issue is simply being monitored, treated with a new plan, or managed with further restrictions. Either way, the Athletics’ next few lineups will offer the clearest answers, and the club’s follow-through on Tuesday and beyond will set the tone for how both players are handled as the season moves toward its closing stretch.