The Athletics have secured a key piece of their future, agreeing to a five-year, $60 million contract extension with designated hitter Brent Rooker, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, who cited sources late Monday night. The deal includes a sixth-year vesting option for 2030 that could push it to $90 million. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the first three years of the deal will pay Rooker $10 million a season, which would have been his arbitration years. He’ll average $15 million per season the two seasons following.
Designated hitter/outfielder Brent Rooker in agreement with A’s on five-year, $60M extension, source tells @TheAthletic. Vesting option can take the deal to six years, $90M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 7, 2025
This significant move demonstrates the As’ surprising commitment to building a competitive roster around Rooker’s talent. Rooker played for three teams until he joined the Athletics in 2023, where he truly established himself as one of the better hitters in baseball.
Brent Rooker Commits to A’s with Multi-Year Contract Extension
Rooker becomes the first player since the A’s extended right-hander Trevor Cahill for $30.5 million in 2011. It’s the club’s second investment for a long-term deal this offseason as they added Luis Severino on a three-year deal last month. The free agent deal for Severino became the largest contract in franchise history. They also brought in infielder Gio Urshela and left-hander Jeffrey Springs as they set to begin play in Sacramento next season.
Rooker, who turned 30 in November, put up an All-Star 2023 campaign in his first season with the A’s. He was better last season, hitting .293 with a .927 OPS, 39 home runs and 112 RBI, becoming the first A’s player to win a Silver Slugger Award since Eric Chavez in 2002. Rooker became the first A’s player to finish a season with a batting average of at least .290, 30 home runs and 100 RBI since Miguel Tejada’s 2002 American League MVP campaign. His 164 wRC+ ranked the seventh highest among major league hitters.
As the A’s move to Sutter Health Park in Sacramento for the next three years, they are slowly turning the corner toward fielding a more competitive team than they have in recent years.
Main Photo: © Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
