The Athletics confirmed Brent Rooker's five-year, $60 million contract today (9th), and with the Athletics adding three other players so far in the postseason, Rooker said he is very excited about the team's future.
The contract stipulates that Rooker will receive a $10 million signing fee with an annual salary of $200, $600, $1,200, $1,300 and $17 million for the next five years, and if he hits 500 seats in 2029 or 900 seats in 2028 and 2029, the $22 million option in 2030 will be automatically exercised.
And the 2030 option is auto-executing, with a future top 10 MVP vote for the Alliance, an extension of the contract period to six years, and a variety of incentive clauses that give Rooker the opportunity to increase the total contract to $90 million.
It is worth mentioning that since Rooker was qualified for wage arbitration for the first time this year, this paper contract is a one-time exclusion from future arbitration.
At the end of last year's season, Athletics head coach Mark Kotsay said of Rooker: "He's incredible, and I can't say enough about the perseverance and determination he's shown so far in his career, just let him find a place to play and establish him as the team's attacking focus, you can see what he's done over the last two years, and I'm excited about his future."
In the postseason when Athletics brought in starting pitcher Luis Severino, signed Gio Urshela, and traded left pitcher Jeffrey Springs, Rooker said after reaching a contract agreement with the team: "Those three reinforcements are a big help for the team, we all love the form at the end of last season, I believe we are a better team now, and the expectations and hopes are high for the upcoming spring training. We are all very excited about the future of the team."
Lawrence Butler, Shea Langeliers, Zack Gelof, JJ Bleday and others all contributed to a certain extent last year, and the biggest surprise for the pitcher is Mason Miller, the finisher who is prone to 100-mile speedballs, and in 2025, there will be a vote of young farm players waiting to go to the big leagues, such as Nick Kurtz, the No. 2 first baseman on the farm, Colby Thomas, the No. 7 and No. 10 fieldfielder on the farm, Denzel Clarke et al., the future of the sport is indeed promising.