Oakland Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker had surgery on his right forearm due to an elbow problem that limited him to mostly being the designated hitter this season.
The arthroscopic surgery was done on Tuesday by Dr. Michael Freehill to repair a partially torn extensor tendon, according to general manager David Forst. “Easy cleanup and should be 100% by spring training,” Forst said.
The 29-year-old Rooker hit a career-high 39 home runs and had 112 RBIs while batting .293 over 145 games, with 131 of those as DH. Manager Mark Kotsay hopes that once he is healthy, Rooker can return as a regular outfielder.
He was in the training room almost every day to feel good enough to play.
“Rook exceeded expectations in 2023 and showed he is a legitimate middle-of-the-order hitter and then took it further this year where he should have been a back-to-back All-Star,” Forst said in a video call on Friday.
“He was the player we wanted in every situation. He was the player Mark relied on. He wasn’t 100% healthy all year.
I don’t know how many people even noticed, but he didn’t play in the outfield after the second half of the season.”
Forst added: “I’m not a doctor, I just play one on TV. But it’s very impressive that he was able to push through what he did and have the offensive season he had.”
Building a stronger offense will be a top priority as the team moves to Sacramento for the next three years before hoping to play in a new stadium in Las Vegas for the 2028 season.
After two straight seasons with over 100 losses, the A’s finished 69-93 in Kotsay’s third year and their last at the Oakland Coliseum.
“Our main goal as we talk about strengthening the lineup is to use the DH position to add another bat, and if Rook can also play in the outfield, that will definitely make us better,” Kotsay said. “We’re always looking to maximize our roster, and having Rook able to play the outfield will help us do that.”
