Kurtz (thumb), who was cleared to begin a hitting progression and fielded grounders Monday, could return from the injured list as early as this weekend against the Twins, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
This is a clear step in the right direction for Kurtz, who hadn't been able to ramp up his activity much until Monday due to a right thumb capsule sprain. The club will keep a close eye on the 23-year-old as the week progresses, and while manager Mark Kotsay did note there's a chance Kurtz could return for the A's weekend series, he admits this may be a bit of an optimistic timeline.