**Mesa, Ariz. - Brent Rooker, the Memphis native and All-Star slugger, found himself at the center of a social media whirlwind this offseason. Like many in Memphis bracing for a winter storm, Rooker dabbled in meteorology, sharing his weather predictions online.
Little did he know, his tweet about snowstorm forecasts would blow up, capturing over 1.5 million views and even catching the attention of weather enthusiast and Angels superstar Mike Trout. **
Rooker humorously noted, “Sometimes I tweet things that I expect to gain some traction. That was not one of them.” Despite the unexpected attention, Rooker weathered both the Memphis chill and the social media buzz, and he's now back in the sunny climes of Arizona for Spring Training with the Athletics.
After a quiet start in his first two spring games, Rooker made some noise in a 7-3 victory over the Rangers at Hohokam Stadium. He notched his first hit of the spring-a single in the first inning-and followed it up with a towering 406-foot two-run homer in the third, helping the A’s secure their first Cactus League win.
Reflecting on his performance, Rooker shared, “It felt good to get the first hit and homer out of the way. I’ve taken some good swings and at-bats before today, but now I feel comfortable.”
Rooker, who has belted 99 homers over the past three seasons, didn’t make major changes to his offseason regimen. However, he focused on improving “at the margins,” incorporating overload/underload training and exploring ways to boost his bat speed.
“I wasn’t looking to overhaul my swing,” Rooker explained. “Just fine-tune the things I do well.”
This offseason, Rooker teamed up with fellow Memphis native and Rockies All-Star Hunter Goodman. The duo trained together, exchanging insights on hitting strategies and pitcher matchups.
“Being around successful hitters is always beneficial,” Rooker said. “It’s great to work with someone you respect and can learn from.”
The Athletics head into 2026 with high hopes, boasting a lineup expected to rank among the league’s best. Rooker, a key figure in the heart of the order, is ready to contribute.
“There’s a lot of confidence in our lineup,” Rooker remarked. “We’re excited to see what we can achieve together.”
Before the game, a moment of silence honored Gina Aldrete, wife of A’s hitting coach Mike Aldrete, who recently passed away after battling cancer. Manager Mark Kotsay expressed his support, saying, “Mike has been through a lot.
Gina showed incredible fight. We’ll welcome him back with open arms when he’s ready.”