Yahoo Sports reports: Not many second-year players receive this kind of respect from opposing pitchers, but it doesn't take long to realize Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz is already one of baseball's top sluggers. Pitchers also have intentionally walked Kurtz eight times, second only to the nine by Houston's Yordan Alvarez, the AL home run leader. Most impressively, Kurtz earlier this season tied Mark McGwire's 30-year-old club record of 48 consecutive games reaching base.