The A’s need to extend Nick Kurtz’s contract

As of now, only five players are under contract for the A's next season.

Don't jump to conclusions: dozens of players are under the club's control and will sign in the coming months. It's just a formality.

Luis Severino is the highest-paid player per year ($22.33 million) for another year.

On the offensive side, Tyler Sodestrom, Brent Rooker, Jacob Wilson, and Lawrence Butler are all under contract through at least 2030.

In recent years, the A's front office has set out to solidify its core of hitters in anticipation of the move to Vegas, which could happen in a year.

But Nick Kurtz is THE big fish who hasn't signed yet.

There's no rush yet, since he's four years away from free agency. That said, signing him could pay off in the long run.

Even though his second season wasn't as spectacular as his first (21 home runs in 99 games) due to the small sample size, we know he's a top-notch player when he's healthy.

According to Jason Burke, the A's have reportedly offered the first baseman between $110 million and $130 million, but he's looking for more.

The figure being discussed is reportedly between $140 million and $160 million, which is significantly more than the largest contract ($86 million) in franchise history. That record is held by Sodestrom.

Nick Kurtz rejected the Athletics' offer of $110–130 million; @ByJasonB says he's probably valued closer to $140–$160…

The largest contract in A's history belongs to Sodey, at $86 million!

Will John Fisher cough up the cash to secure our franchise player and the best hitter in… pic.twitter.com/qHDHrL7RDY

— SleeperAthletics (@SleeperAth) November 4, 2026

We know the A's want to spend more once they're in Vegas, and we know that a potential salary floor would also force the club to spend.

But Kurtz isn't going to give the A's his bonus years if the price isn't right. So it's up to the A's to open their wallets, since this is a major deal.

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