Rooker agrees to 5-year, $60 million deal with A’s

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A’s slugger Brent Rooker avoided arbitration by agreeing to a deal that could be worth $92 million over six years. NHAT V. MEYER — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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The Athletics have agreed to a $60 million, five-year contract with slugger Brent Rooker, according to multiple reports.

The deal includes a $22 million vesting option for the 2030 season and escalators that could increase the value to $92 million over six seasons. Rooker was set to swap proposed arbitration salaries with the A’s on Thursday. He also would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2025 and 2026 seasons, and could have become a free agent following the 2027 World Series.

The new deal keeps Rooker signed through 2029, when the team is planning to be in Las Vegas. The A’s left Oakland after last season and are set to play the next three seasons in a minor league park in West Sacramento. The club says its new stadium in Las Vegas is expected to be ready in 2028.

The 30-year-old Rooker has been one of the best players for the A’s since joining the team in 2023. He batted .293 with 39 homers, 112 RBIs and a .927 OPS last season, winning a Silver Slugger award at designated hitter and finishing 10th in AL MVP voting. He hit 30 homers with an .817 OPS in his first season with the A’s, making the AL All-Star squad.

The agreement with Rooker is the latest big move for the A’s this offseason. The team previously signed pitcher Luis Severino to a $67 million, three-year contract — the largest deal in franchise history.

Severino’s arrival was followed by the acquisitions of third baseman Gio Urshela and left-hander Jeffrey Springs.

For the first time since the current collective bargaining agreement began in 2022, the A’s are to receive 100% of the amount due under the revenue sharing formula. If a team’s luxury tax payroll is not at least 150% of what it receives in revenue sharing, the burden of proof in a grievance alleging violation of revenue sharing rules would shift to the club from the players’ association.

Rays’ Rasmussen gets 2-year, $8.5M deal >> Right-hander Drew Rasmussen and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to an $8.5 million, two-year contract.

The deal includes a team option that could be worth as much as $20 million, the Rays said. The agreement could reach $28 million over three seasons, according to the pitcher’s agency, the Beverly Hills Sports Council.

A 29-year-old right-hander, Rasmussen had been set to exchange proposed arbitration salaries with the Rays on Thursday.

He had elbow surgery for the third time on July 24, 2023. Rasmussen returned to the Rays on Aug. 7 and had a 2.82 ERA in 16 games.

Reliever Martin back with Rangers >> Veteran reliever Chris Martin, 38, signed a one-year contract with his hometown Texas Rangers, returning to a team he pitched for in 2018 and 2019.

Martin went 3-1 with a 3.45 ERA in 45 relief appearances for Boston last season. He had a 2.16 ERA in 100 games for Boston the past two years. Martin has a 3.38 ERA and 14 saves in 369 games — all in relief.