A few months before they play their first game in Sacramento, the Athletics dished out the largest contract extension in franchise history.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Monday night that slugger Brent Rooker agreed to sign a five-year contract extension worth $60 million. Per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the deal includes a $10 million signing bonus and can be worth up to $92 million over six years if incentives are met.
Designated hitter/outfielder Brent Rooker in agreement with A’s on five-year, $60M extension, source tells @TheAthletic. Vesting option can take the deal to six years, $90M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 7, 2025
Rooker's new deal is the largest contract extension doled out in A's history in terms of average annual value ($12 million), edging out the $11 million mark that third baseman Eric Chavez landed in 2004 on his six-year contract extension worth $66 million.
The A's have built a reputation as one of the most frugal organizations in all of professional sports over the years, especially since owner John Fisher bought the franchise in 2005. But now that the A's are leaving Oakland and plan to play at least the next three seasons in Sacramento as their proposed Las Vegas ballpark is built, the team is finally starting to spend some money. Along with the Rooker deal, the A's signed right-handed pitcher Luis Severino to a three-year deal worth $67 million in December.
Rooker, the No. 35 pick by the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 MLB draft, bounced around the big leagues from 2020 to '22 before finding a home in Oakland. He was named an All-Star in 2023 and batted .293/.365/.562 with a career-high 39 homers in 145 games last season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Athletics Sign Brent Rooker to Largest Contract Extension in Franchise History.
