Sources – Brent Rooker reaches 5-year, $60M extension with A’s

Designated hitter Brent Rooker and the Athletics are in settlement on a five-year, $60 million contract extension, sources advised ESPN late Monday night time, persevering with a winter of uncharacteristic spending with a long-term deal for the late-blooming slugger.

Earlier than he joined the A’s in 2023, Rooker had bounced amongst three groups with out discovering constant enjoying time. The A’s noticed Rooker blossom into an All-Star in his first season with them, a Tenth-place MVP finisher final 12 months and the receiver of the second-largest extension in franchise historical past.

The A’s, who will play in Sacramento for the following three seasons earlier than a deliberate transfer to Las Vegas after leaving Oakland, already had spent $67 million this winter to signal right-hander Luis Severino and added left-hander Jeffrey Springs in a commerce with Tampa Bay. The offers, in addition to Rooker’s, proceed to push the A’s payroll towards the $100 million vary. If they don’t spend a minimum of 1½ occasions the revenue-sharing cash they obtain, the A’s run the danger of a union grievance.

The deal indicators the most recent in an try and rebuild after years of minuscule payrolls and lackluster outcomes. Although the A’s had been a hit story of a staff that managed to achieve spite of meager assist from possession, latest seasons with slashed payrolls have yielded terrible outcomes and coincided with vitriol towards proprietor John Fisher as A’s bid the town of Oakland farewell.

Rooker turns into the lone A’s participant underneath contract by means of their deliberate Las Vegas debut in 2028. The deal, which was first reported by The Athletic, pays him $30 million over the primary three seasons and features a sixth-year vesting possibility for $22 million that may escalate by $10 million. The earlier largest extension had gone to star third baseman Eric Chavez, who additionally held the file for largest contract at $66 million till Severino exceeded it.

The deal buys out a possible three years of free company for Rooker, who three years in the past wasn’t positive how for much longer his massive league profession would stay afloat. After debuting with Minnesota in 2020, Rooker struggled and finally was traded to San Diego in April 2022. 4 months later, the Padres dealt him to Kansas Metropolis. Three months later, the Royals designated him for project, and the A’s claimed Rooker off waivers.

In his first season with the A’s, Rooker practically doubled his earlier profession plate appearances and hit 30 residence runs. He was even higher final season, hitting .297/.365/.562 with 39 residence runs and 112 RBIs.

The A’s shocked groups on the July commerce deadline once they declined to debate Rooker in commerce discussions. Rooker was equally off-limits this winter, because the staff understood an extension for him would additional push their payroll towards the quantity wanted to keep away from collective-bargaining points. Rooker was set to make round $5 million in arbitration, however the contract will depend for $12 million as a result of that is its common annual worth.