The Oakland Athletics have agreed on a five-year, $60 million contract extension with designated hitter Brent Rooker, according to sources. The deal marks the latest move in the team’s offseason spending spree, which has seen significant investments in free agents Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs.
Rooker, who joined the A’s in 2023, has blossomed into an All-Star under their guidance, finishing last season as a 10th-place MVP finisher. The new deal buys out three years of potential free agency for Rooker, ensuring he’ll be under contract with the team until 2028.
The agreement comes after a winter of uncharacteristic spending by the A’s, who are now pushing their payroll toward the $100 million range. If they don’t spend at least 1.5 times the revenue-sharing money they receive, they risk facing union grievances.
Rooker’s new deal includes a sixth-year vesting option worth $22 million, which can escalate to $32 million. The previous largest extension in A’s history had gone to Eric Chavez, but was surpassed by Severino’s deal earlier this winter.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43317474/brent-rooker-athletics-reach-agreement-5-year-60-million-contract-extension