The Oakland A’s currently have a 34-58 record, sitting 15 games out in the AL West and 16.5 games back in the AL wild card race, heading towards their third consecutive 100+ loss season. The bad news is evident, but there’s a silver lining: this year’s team feels more competitive than last year’s. They even managed to split the season series with the 57-33 Baltimore Orioles, a team with only two losing records against AL teams (the Cleveland Guardians at 1-2 and the Houston Astros at 0-3), with the Toronto Blue Jays being the only other team to have a .500 record against them.
On July 7 of last year, the A’s had a 25-65 record and were projected to win just 45 games. This season, they’re on track for a 60-win campaign, a ten-game improvement from their 2023 finish. Their run differential has improved from -240 at this time last year to -89 this season. Although a negative run differential isn’t ideal, it’s a significant improvement from where they were.
This leads to a crucial question: How active should the A’s be at the Trade Deadline? The goal is to become competitive soon, ideally hitting their stride by 2028 when they plan to open a new ballpark in Las Vegas. The team is evaluating which players will be with the organization long-term.
Is Brent Rooker one of those players?
Rooker, who had a better first half this year than when he was named an All-Star last year, is already the subject of trade rumors. The question isn’t about other teams’ interest (which they have, as with Mason Miller), but whether he will be moved (unlike Miller).
Rooker is a top-12 hitter in baseball with a 153 wRC+ (100 is league average), outperforming players like Bobby Witt Jr. (151), Rafael Devers (150), and Carlos Correa (148), and closely trailing Yordan Alvarez (157), Freddie Freeman (157), and Mookie Betts (158). Despite being one of the top hitters, he flies under the radar.
Given the A’s are not contending for a postseason spot, exploring trade packages for Rooker makes sense. However, with Rooker under team control for three more years, there’s no urgency. A’s GM David Forst can wait for the right trade offer.
Rooker, 29, would be 33 by the time the A’s potentially open their new ballpark in Las Vegas in 2028. Keeping him would require re-signing him and making him a core player moving forward, but there would still be questions about his performance as he ages.
The most likely scenario is that the right trade offer will come along to facilitate a deal this month. However, Oakland isn’t in a rush to make a move.
