Statcast Measures Nick Kurtz’s 417-Foot Homer at 115.9 mph Exit Velocity

The Oakland Athletics made franchise history on April 24, 2026, by hitting three home runs in the first inning for the first time ever, leading to an 8-1 victory over the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.

The historic inning began with Nick Kristz launching a first-pitch fastball from Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi an estimated 417 feet into the right-field seats, a shot measured by Statcast with an exit velocity of 115.9 mph.

Kristz’s blast tied for the hardest-hit home run by an Athletic since Statcast tracking began in 2015, according to the team’s broadcast and Statcast data.

Two batters later, Carlos Cortes turned on a 2-0 splitter that cleared the right-center-field fence, continuing the early barrage.

Tyler Soderstrom followed Cortes by depositing a first-pitch fastball into the right-field seats, completing the trio of home runs that occurred within the game’s first seven pitches.

The three shots combined to travel a projected 1,222 feet, underscoring the rare display of power to open the contest.

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay acknowledged the significance of the start, noting the team’s previous struggles to produce early offense.

We’ve had trouble as an offense getting out of the gate and giving our pitchers a lead,” said Kotsay. “So, it’s nice to see the offense come out and put up a three-spot in the first inning, which hasn’t happened this year.

Mark Kotsay, Athletics manager

Starting pitcher Luis Severino described the moment as “awesome,” saying the early lead provided a confidence boost that carried through his performance.

It was awesome to go out there with a 3-0 lead. Confidence goes through the roof,” said Severino, who went on to allow one run over 6 2/3 innings in what he called his best start of the season.

Luis Severino, Athletics pitcher

Kristz, the reigning American League Rookie of the Year, said he was anticipating the fastball after recognizing Eovaldi’s tendency to attack with heat early in the count.

You usually get a heater [first pitch], so I was looking for it,” said Kristz. “He threw it to a place where I could hit it.

Nick Kristz, Athletics outfielder

Prior to this game, the Athletics had played 9,757 road games without recording three or more home runs in the opening inning, according to the team’s historical notes shared during the broadcast.

In their first 25 games of the season, Oakland had been outscored 19-4 in the first inning and had not hit a single home run in the frame, making the outburst a stark reversal of form.

The early offensive explosion provided a cushion that allowed the Athletics to withstand a late-inning rally by Texas, which avoided a shutout with a solo run in the seventh.

The win improved Oakland’s standing in a tightly contested American League West race, though specific standings implications were not detailed in the available reports.

No further details about player injuries, roster moves, or upcoming scheduling were included in the verified sources covering the game’s immediate aftermath.