A's All-Star undergoes forearm surgery

A’s general manager David Forst announced on Friday that star designated hitter Brent Rooker underwent extensor repair surgery on his right elbow/forearm (X link via Martín Gallegos of MLB.com). Rooker, who had a partial tear in the tendon, is expected to be fully recovered by the start of Spring Training.

Forst indicated that the slugger was playing through elbow discomfort throughout the year. That makes Rooker’s monster season even more impressive. He blasted 39 home runs with a .293/.365/.562 slash through 614 plate appearances. It was his second straight 30-homer campaign and proved that his All-Star breakout in 2023 was no anomaly. Rooker tied for fifth in the majors in longballs. Among batters with 500+ plate appearances, he ranked 17th in on-base percentage and sixth in slugging.

Teams no doubt tried to pry Rooker from the A’s leading up to the deadline. The front office made clear they had no real interest in moving him. Rooker is only entering his first season of arbitration. The A’s control him through 2027. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a modest $5.1M salary for next year. Rooker is the only member of the A’s arbitration class who is a lock to be tendered a contract. They don’t have a single player on a guaranteed deal. There’s no financial pressure to deal him.

The A’s seem even less likely to trade Rooker on the heels of a somewhat encouraging second half. They played .500 ball after the All-Star Break. JJ Bleday, Lawrence Butler and Shea Langeliers join Rooker as part of an emerging group of offensive contributors. There’s still a lot of work to be done on the pitching staff, but there’s reason for optimism about the lineup as the team begins its three-year stint in Sacramento.