The Rooker excited about the Athletics’ future after signing contract extension originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Brent Rooker is excited to be the face of up-and-coming athletics after officially signing a Contract extension of $60 million over five years with a club option for 2030 to remain in the Greens and Golds.
The designated hitter/outfielder views his new contract as the highlight of his storied career and a major selling point to players inside and outside the Athletic Club who are uncertain about the direction of the franchise and its future homes, given that it is the first. player to be under contract through the organization planned move to Las Vegas in 2028.
“I’m excited,” Rooker told reporters during his news conference Thursday in Sacramento. “This is much more than I could have dreamed of when I first joined this organization two years ago. Me, Allie and the rest of my family are incredibly grateful to everyone here, (Athletics Manager Mark Kotsay) and (general manager David Forst) for all the opportunities that have been offered to me over the last two years and for allowing me to get to this point.
“This is where I want to be, and I hope that’s what this communicates…this organization and this team is a very desirable place to play right now for many reasons, mainly because of the group of people that we have involved on a daily basis from top to bottom with this team I love it here and I’m excited for the next five years – hopefully six.
Since joining the Athletics in 2023, Rooker has flourished, hitting .272/.348/.528 over the past two years with 274 hits, 181 RBIs and 69 home runs. During the 2024 MLB season, Rooker won the AL Silver Slugger Award after carrying a .365 OBP, a .927 OPS and 39 go-balls.
Rooker also served as a proud and crucial leader and ambassador for the Athletics during two consecutive losing seasons filled with heartbreak, particularly from his East Bay fans torn by the franchise’s decision to abandon Oakland and its historic Coliseum to benefit Sutter Health Park and later a Sin City stadium.
“We don’t get the opportunity to do this too often, and when we do, we make sure we pick the right person,” Forst said. “And Brent Rooker is absolutely the right person for this extension. In two years at the club, he has established himself on and off the pitch and (is) truly the leader of his team and the face of our attack.
This week again, Rooker, joined by other athletes such as his skipper and star right defender Laurent Butlerspent time in Sacramento, visiting children at Mariemont and Kings Elementary School in Golden Center 1where Rooker actually learned that his contract was being finalized. Rooker is settling into his new temporary home and is already appreciative of the support Sacramento has given the Athletics.
Rooker’s fame and aura speak for themselves. But the 30-year-old acknowledges having played what seems like every position a professional baseball player can have career-wise, making him accessible to various athletic targets as well as anyone interested in playing in West Sacramento and/or ultimately Las Vegas.
“I’m very proud and happy to be able to help the younger guys on our team because I feel like I’m in a unique position, where for every role you can play on a major league team, I have the feeling of having experienced,” Rooker said.
“I was the prospect who got his first shot… the guy who was trying to establish himself and figure it out… a bench player who maybe had very sporadic hitting… a guy on his last leg, like : “Alright, maybe this is my last one. opportunity to establish myself in the big leagues. And then I was a guy who hit the middle of the order every day and produced it at a very high level.
Despite the Athletics’ record of 119-205 over the last two years, Rooker has been a major bright spot and represents a success story. As he mentioned, Rooker has gone through many different stages during his five years in the big leagues. He was arguably at his lowest point when he joined the Athletics.
Rooker, with the Kansas City Royals in 2022, was designated for assignment after four hits in 29 plate appearances. He entered Oakland having played in just 14 games during the 2022 season and many, led by Kansas City, felt the writing was on the wall for Rooker’s career.
But the veteran didn’t give up. And now, Rooker is reaping the $60 million reward for being the face of athletics amid his historic ventures.
“It was a pure pleasure to be a part of his journey” Kotsay said, after starting to lead the Athletics the same season Rooker arrived. “You know, there’s no better person than Brent Rooker who deserves this type of award, and he got it. well deserved.
“The perseverance he showed throughout his career to follow the processes, to be open-minded and understand that it’s a game of failure, but yet to overcome that failure you have to work hard, and he is an example of that. We couldn’t have chosen a better person, as David said, to lead this group.
Rooker’s determination and leadership are what brought him this successful day. And those traits are the same ones that will carry him and the franchise as the Athletics continue to embark on uncharted territory.
