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A's Lose Brent Rooker for Rest of 2026 After Knee Cartilage Tear

Losing Rooker weakens Oakland's middle-of-the-order power, increasing pressure on a roster with a season-high number of injured players.

Overview

  • Manager Mark Kotsay announced Wednesday that two-time All-Star Brent Rooker will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee.
  • The tear was found during a Stanford Medical Center reevaluation after Rooker paused rehab for a left knee bone bruise and conservative treatment failed.
  • Rooker has not played since June 8 and was batting .200 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs in 48 games before he was placed on the injured list.
  • Oakland faces a roster squeeze with a season-high nine players on the injured list, and the club plans to cycle Joey Meneses, Colby Thomas, Max Muncy, Jonah Heim and Shea Langeliers through the DH spot.
  • Rooker was a durable power hitter from 2023–25 (99 home runs across those seasons and a full 162-game season in 2025), the team has not set a surgery date, and no timetable for his return has been announced.