Handing Out Athletics Superlatives at Season Halfway Point

Taking a look at the Athletics who have had a great first half of the season.

Jul 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) tosses a ball during infield practice before a game against the Miami Marlins at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Athletics have had a very up-and-down first half of the season, but these players have remained consistent.

It is clear from the last few series that the Athletics are not in a good spot. However, a few players could prove to be a catalyst for a turnaround after the All-Star break. And for that reason, it is important to give these players their flowers.

Best Overall | Nick Kurtz

Jul 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) looks on in a game against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nick Kurtz has been excellent all season for the Athletics, and it paid off with a starting bid in this season's All-Star Game; however, Kurtz landed on the IL in the series before the break. Either way, Kurtz has ushered in a hopeful new era in Athletics baseball. And there is little doubt he will be the "Best Overall" once the season ends.

This season, Kurtz is batting .266 with a .902 OPS. He has also hit 20 home runs and driven in 66 runs. His impact on the Athletics' offense has been second to none, as only Shea Langeliers comes close, with 42 RBIs, the second-most on the team. Even though Kurtz is in a slump, he still earns this spot unanimously.

Best Starting Pitcher | J.T. Ginn

Jun 20, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This one was way harder to pick compared to the "Best Overall" section. However, not for a good reason. The only two pitchers who are even in the ballpark of contention are J.T. Ginn and Gage Jump. But since Jump joined the Athletics late, this award goes to Ginn by default. However, it is likely that Jump will jump over him by the end of the season.

This year, Ginn is 7-6 with a 3.67 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. During this span, Ginn has held batters to a .219 average while giving up 13 home runs, the fewest among all qualifying A's pitchers this season, and barring his recent implosion vs. the White Sox, Ginn has consistently been the Athletics' ace all year.

Best Reliever | Luis Medina

Jun 14, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Athletics pitcher Luis Medina (46) throws a pitch in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Boz Bloom-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When crunching the numbers, this one was by far the closest. It was between Luis Medina and Hogan Harris, two pitchers with nearly identical statistics. This year, Medina has a 3.59 ERA, compared to Harris' 3.4. The WHIP numbers are also very close, with Medina posting a 1.45 to Harris' 1.55.

However, if you had to pick which pitcher you would want in a clutch situation, it would have to be Medina. Not only has he allowed fewer baserunners as a whole, but he has also given up slightly fewer home runs this season than Harris. And from the looks of it, Medina is trending toward an elite second half of the season, as in his last 5.2 innings (four outings), he has allowed only three hits and given up no runs.