The Oakland Athletics have reached a five-year, $60 million agreement with slugger Brent Rooker, according to a source familiar with the talks who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, as the deal has not yet been publicly announced.
The contract includes a $22 million vesting option for the 2030 season, along with performance-based escalators that could push the total value of the deal to $92 million over six years. Rooker had been set to exchange proposed arbitration salaries with the Athletics and was also eligible for arbitration after the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The agreement ensures Rooker remains with the team through 2029, the year the Athletics are expected to relocate to Las Vegas, with their new stadium slated for completion by 2028.
Rooker, 30, has been a standout player for the A’s since joining the team in 2023. He posted a .293 batting average, 39 home runs, 112 RBIs, and a .927 OPS last season, earning a Silver Slugger award as designated hitter and finishing 10th in AL MVP voting. In his first season with Oakland, he hit 30 home runs with an .817 OPS and made his first AL All-Star appearance.
This move follows other key acquisitions by the A’s this offseason, including pitcher Luis Severino, who signed a three-year, $67 million deal — the largest in franchise history — and third baseman Gio Urshela. Additionally, the team has bolstered its pitching staff with the addition of left-hander Jeffrey Springs.
For the first time since the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, the Athletics will receive the full amount of their revenue-sharing allocation. The team also has one more player, outfielder Miguel Andujar, scheduled for arbitration negotiations with the club.