He landed on the IL initially on July 11, right before the All-Star break, with a right thumb capsule sprain. He was activated from the IL on July 25, but on August 4 he was back on the shelf with a strained right thumb. At this point in the season, shutting down Kurtz is the best option for the club. Over his last 15 games of the season, he had gone 5-for-47 (.106) with a .208 OBP, two home runs, and 26 strikeouts. Any hopes of competing this season have long since passed, and getting him to be full strength for the 2027 season should be the No.