Brent Rooker’s road back to the Athletics got a major update on Friday, and the news was exactly what Oakland needed to hear: the veteran slugger is expected to be ready for the 2027 MLB season after successful surgery on his left knee.
The team said Rooker underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a cartilage tear in the knee. The procedure should put the two-time MLB All-Star on track for a full recovery in time for the start of next season.
Rooker’s 2026 season is already over, and the Athletics moved him to the 60-day injured list as part of a series of roster moves. The club also designated starting pitcher Aaron Civale for assignment and selected infielder Tommy White from Triple-A Las Vegas.
The knee issue had been nagging Rooker for a while before it finally shut him down. He had been out since June 8, and the pain had become enough of a problem that it kept bothering him. In 48 games this season, the one-time Silver Slugger hit .200/.281/.389 with 29 RBI and 10 home runs.
"This is a big blow," Athletics manager Mark Kotsay told reporters on July 1.
"It’s a middle-of-the-order bat; it’s a guy that has produced for us the last three seasons, 30-plus homers. In terms of replacing Rook, there’s not one guy that’s going to come in here and step in and do that type of production, but we’ll do our best to fill that void and make the best of the situation.”
Rooker has been in the A’s organization since they claimed him off waivers from the Kansas City Royals in August 2022. The Athletics rewarded him with a five-year, $60 million deal in January 2025.
Across four years with the club, the 31-year-old has hit .261/.337/.498 with 299 RBI and 109 home runs in 492 games.
When he gets back, Rooker should give a young Athletics team a needed lift. The club has dropped 13 of its last 14 games, and his bat and leadership figure to matter right away.
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Oakland has already been willing to make changes in search of answers, and the latest move adds to that sense of flux. With the pitching staff and bench both in motion, the As are clearly not treating one big win as a reason to stand pat, and there could be more maneuvering ahead as they try to stabilize things around a team that just took a small step forward. [Read more 🡒]