The Athletics have sought to spend some money this offseason. The Athletics splashed some cash on Luis Severino earlier in the offseason. But the ballclub are under pressure to shell out bigger bucks ahead of their impending move to Las Vegas. Early Tuesday morning saw the franchise do just that, rewarding star slugger Brent Rooker.
Rooker and the Athletics have reportedly agreed to a five-year contract extension, according to Ken Rosenthal. The total worth of this new deal is $60 million, Rosenthal notes. The MLB insider also mentioned that a vesting option could make this a six-year contract worth $90 million in total.
Rooker finished the 2024 season as the team’s undisputed best hitter. He led the team in batting average (.293), home runs (39), runs batted in (129), and OPS (.927), among other categories. Before this deal, the Athletics slugger was due to hit free agency in 2028.
Rooker’s contract is the culmination of a rather remarkable career turnaround. The 30-year-old could not find regular playing time just two seasons ago. He bounced around the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, and Kansas City Royals before landing with the Athletics in 2023.
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However, the veteran slugger took his first opportunity for extended game time and ran with it. He ended the 2023 season with 30 home runs, 69 runs batted in, and a .246/.329/.488 slash line, according to ESPN. As a result, he entered the 2024 season with heightened expectations.
Brent Rooker continued his impressive offensive production in 2024. The Athletics could not take advantage of his play. They finished fourth in the American League West last year. This caused trade rumors to swirl around Rooker given his production and team control. A move never materialized, however.
Rooker and Severino are one of a few major moves made by the Athletics. They traded for Jeffery Springs in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays this winter. More recently, they signed infielder Gio Urshela to a one-year contract. It will certainly be interesting to see if the Athletics have more up their sleeves before the offseason is over and done with.
