Athletics hit 3 solo homer on 7 pitches off Rangers' Eovaldi in 1st inning

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Athletics got off to a fast start against the Texas Rangers on Friday night, hitting three solo home runs in the first inning.

Nick Kurtz, Carlos Cortes and Tyler Soderstrom — three of the first four hitters — homered just seven pitches into the game.

Kurtz launched Nathan Eovaldi's first pitch over the right-field wall. Cortes sent another shot to right, and Tyler Soderstrom homered on the first pitch he saw to straight-away center.

The last time the Athletics homered three times in the first inning was against the Atlanta Braves on July 8, all against Didier Fuentes.

Eovaldi had no trouble with the Athletics' batting order when he faced them on April 13 in California, shutting them out over seven innings on three hits in an 8-1 Rangers victory. He entered with a career ERA against the A's of 2.54, his lowest against any opponent he faced at least six times.

In Eovaldi's previous start, he allowed four runs, two earned, in five innings at Seattle.

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Athletics' Carlos Cortes, left, is greeted by Jacob Wilson after hitting a solo home run off Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 24, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Athletics' Nick Kurtz reacts after hitting a solo home run on the first pitch of the game against Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi during a baseball game Friday, April 24, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom swings at a pitch from Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi while connecting on a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 24, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi throws to the Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 24, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Athletics' Carlos Cortes reacts while running the bases after hitting a solo home run off Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 24, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Athletics' Nick Kurtz runs to the dugout after hitting a leadoff home run on the first pitch from Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 24, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts needed a playmaking linebacker to help them complete a major offseason defensive overhaul.

CJ Allen seemed like a perfect fit.

So after watching the first round of the NFL draft Thursday and trading back six spots when they finally went on the clock Friday, the Colts took Allen at No. 53 overall.

“They’re getting someone who can run and hit,” he told reporters on a conference call just minutes after he finished speaking with the Colts brain trust.

At 6-feet, 230 pounds, Allen certainly made his presence felt over the last three seasons at Georgia. He started five games for the national champions as a freshman before serving as the defensive play-caller on back-to-back playoff teams in 2024 and 2025.

Last season, Allen led the Bulldogs with 88 tackles and eight tackles for loss while posting 3 1 /2 sacks, breaking up four passes, forcing two fumbles and recovering one on his way to first team All-American honors. He also was a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award and the Bednarik Award, which goes to college football’s best defensive player.

And Allen insisted he learned one key lesson while playing for coach Kirby Smart.

“Good is not good enough,” he said. “The standard for us, especially coming from Georgia, good is the lowest bar you can be. But you’ve got to earn it, you’ve got to work.”

Allen became Indy’s highest drafted linebacker since Ben Banogu went No. 49 overall in the 2019 draft. But Banogu played primarily on the defensive line.

Still, the selection was no surprise given all the changes Indy has made this offseason. He adds another body to a position that looked thin and is expected to fill the void left by Zaire Franklin, who was traded to Green Bay in March. Franklin topped the 100-tackle mark in each of the last four seasons and ranked among the league's leaders with 167, 179 and 173 from 2022-24.

But the revamp was put on pause Thursday because Indy traded its first-round pick to the New York Jets for two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner in a trade deadline deal last fall. Then the Colts swapped their second-round pick, No. 47, with Pittsburgh to pick up an extra Day 3 selection.

In addition to Franklin, the Colts also starting defensive end Kwity Paye and starting safety Nick Cross in free agency while a fourth ttarter, former Pro Bowl cornerback Kenny Moore II, has requested a trade.

General manager Chris Ballard opted to beef up his defensive front by signing defensive ends Arden Key and Michael Clemons and defensive tackles Derrick Nnadi and Jerry Tillery in free agency. He also acquired defensive tackle Colby Wooden from the Packers.

The Colts signed safeties Jonathan Owens, Cam Taylor-Britt and Juanyeh Thomas and linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency before convincing safety Nasir Adderley to come out of retirement after three seasons away from the game.

The Colts still have one more pick, a third-round selection on Friday, and now have six picks Saturday.

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FILE - Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (01) speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)