Nick Kurtz Injury: Gets promising results from MRI

Kurtz's MRI on his oblique revealed that he does not have a strain, and manager Mark Kotsay said he's hopeful the first baseman will be back playing "sooner than later," Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

This should provide a big sigh of relief for both the A's and fantasy managers who roster Kurtz, as an oblique strain would have likely resulted in a stint on the IL. Instead, Kurtz should be considered day-to-day, though he's not in the lineup Saturday versus Texas. Tyler Soderstrom will likely hold down the fort at first base until Kurtz is ready to return to action.