Brent Rooker gets real after $60,000,000 contract extension with Athletics
The Oakland Athletics showed they are ready to spend this offseason as they gave Brent Rooker a $60 million extension spread over five years. This comes on the heels of signing Luis Severino to a franchise record $67 million.
Rooker, who was claimed off waivers by the Athletics in Nov. 2022, has come up through the ranks, earning an All-Star selection in 2023 and followed it up with a Silver Slugger award last season after he slashed .293/.365/.562 with 39 home runs, 112 RBI and 11 stolen bases.
On Saturday, Rooker shared photos from the official signing, posing alongside his wife Allie and other stakeholders of the organization. He made his feelings known about his extension with the Athletics.
"I can’t even begin to express how thrilled I am to have the opportunity to represent this team and organization for the next several years," Rooker wrote in the caption. "My family and I love the people here and truly believe in the direction that we’re headed.
"A special thank you to my family for the constant support, @bledsoeagency for always having my back and working tirelessly for me, my teammates for making it a blast to show up to the park every day, and to the @athletics for believing in me time and time again. Only 37 days until Spring Training!"
Brent Rooker's contract details with A's
Brent Rooker is set to receive a $10 million signing bonus and a team-friendly $2 million salary for the 2025 season. However, this is only the beginning of a deal that is both lucrative for Rooker and financially flexible for the A's.
Contract Breakdown
Here's a detailed look at his yearly earnings:
- 2025: $2 million (plus the $10 million signing bonus)
- 2026: $6 million
- 2027: $12 million
- 2028: $13 million
- 2029: $17 million
Rooker’s performance over the next several seasons could lock in the 2030 season’s $22 million salary through any of the following scenarios:
Plate Appearances: Accumulating 900 plate appearances across the 2028 and 2029 seasons will automatically guarantee the contract’s final year. Given that Rooker logged over 1,100 plate appearances from 2023 to 2024, this seems achievable.
Single-Season Milestone: If Rooker reaches 500 plate appearances in 2029 alone, he secures the 2030 season—a safeguard in case an injury or limited playtime affects his 2028 numbers.
MVP Voting: Finishing in the Top 10 of MVP voting twice between 2027 and 2029 also locks in the 2030 option. Notably, Rooker ranked 10th in MVP voting in 2024.
Performance Incentives
Beyond the base salary, Rooker’s 2030 earnings can grow further through performance-based incentives:
- A Top 5 MVP finish in any season from 2025 to 2029 adds $2 million to the 2030 salary, raising it to $24 million.
- A finish between 6th and 10th in MVP voting during this period still adds $1 million, bringing the total to $23 million.