WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Brent Rooker and the Athletics finalized a $60 million, five-year contract Wednesday for the designated hitter and outfielder, a deal that could be worth up to $92 million over six seasons if he regularly finishes high in MVP voting.
Rooker gets a $10 million signing bonus and salaries of $2 million this year, $6 million in 2026, $12 million in 2027, $13 million in 2028 and $17 million in 2029.
The team has a $22 million option for 2030 that would become guaranteed if he has 900 or more plate appearances in 2028 and '29 combined or 500 or more plate appearances in 2029 or at least two top 10 finishes in MVP voting from 2027-29.
Each top 10 finish from 2025-29 would increase the 2030 option price by $1 million and each top five finish would raise the price by $2 million.
His deal includes additional award bonuses.
Rooker was set to swap proposed arbitration salaries with the A’s on Thursday. He also would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2025 and 2026 seasons, and could have become a free agent following the 2027 World Series.
The new deal keeps Rooker signed through 2029, when the team is planning to be in Las Vegas. The A’s left Oakland after last season and are set to play the next three seasons in a minor league park in West Sacramento, California. The club says its new stadium in Las Vegas is expected to be ready in 2028.
The 30-year-old Rooker has been one of the best players for the A’s since joining the team in 2023. He batted .293 with 39 homers, 112 RBIs and a .927 OPS last season, winning a Silver Slugger award at designated hitter and finishing 10th in AL MVP voting. He hit 30 homers with an .817 OPS in his first season with the A’s, making the AL All-Star squad.
The agreement with Rooker is the latest big move for the A’s this offseason. The team previously signed pitcher Luis Severino to a $67 million, three-year contract — the largest deal in franchise history. The right-hander can opt out and become a free agent again after the 2026 season.
Severino’s arrival was followed by the acquisitions of third baseman Gio Urshela and left-hander Jeffrey Springs.
For the first time since the current collective bargaining agreement began in 2022, the A’s are to receive 100% of the amount due under the revenue sharing formula. If a team’s luxury tax payroll is not at least 150% of what it receives in revenue sharing, the burden of proof in a grievance alleging violation of revenue sharing rules would shift to the club from the players’ association.
Outfielder Miguel Andujar is the only remaining A’s player scheduled to swap proposed arbitration salaries with the team.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
The Associated Press
