After a quiet stretch at the plate, the Athletics’ most popular bat came alive Thursday, despite a 10-5 defeat to the Los Angeles Angels.
Brent Rooker finished 3-for-4 with a towering 440-foot two-run homer off Tyler Anderson in the first inning—his 11th of the season and his first home run in 10 games. He added a double and reached base three times, shaking off a rough 6-for-38 (.158) slump that had clouded his May performance.
With this much-needed breakout, his season line improves to .245/.313/.456 over 224 plate appearances, along with 25 RBI, 31 runs scored, and 2 stolen bases. Following weeks of underperformance, Rooker could be heating up again before hosting the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game weekend series.
Now, after a few encouraging performances, there’s reason to believe the tide may finally be turning.
A Steep Drop-Off from 2024
Last season, the 30-year-old All-Star was one of MLB’s biggest surprises. He slashed .293/.365/.562 with 39 home runs and 112 RBIs—by far the best numbers of his career. That performance helped earn him a long-term role with the Athletics, and positioned him as a cornerstone piece of the team’s rebuilding effort.
For a player who is one of the most important contributors to this team’s success, pulling himself out of his recent dry spell at the plate couldn’t happen at a better time.
Thursday’s breakout couldn’t have come at a better time. With the Athletics reeling from a tough stretch—now sitting at 22-29 and trying to avoid slipping further behind in the AL West—getting Rooker’s power back is critical. His bat has the potential to change games with a single swing, and the Athletics need that kind of spark as they try to climb back to .500.
The matchup also helped. Anderson had trouble with command, and Rooker took full advantage. His two-run shot gave his team early momentum, and the double later in the game showed he was seeing the ball well throughout the affair.
What’s Next?
Consistency will be the key. One good night won’t erase a month-long alarming slump, but it could mark the beginning of a much-needed turnaround. If Rooker can find his April swing again, the offense will be in much better shape heading into June.
And with his Statcast numbers still trending positively, there’s reason to believe more nights like Thursday are on the horizon.
Fortunately for the Athletics, all signs point to better days ahead. If Thursday was any indication, their $60 million slugger may be back on the right track.
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