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Athletics Designated Hitter Brent Rooker to Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery
The two-time All-Star will miss the rest of the 2026 season after a cartilage tear was found in his left knee. Manager Mark Kotsay called the loss a major blow to the team's offense.
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Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker will undergo surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee and miss the remainder of the 2026 season, ESPN reported. The tear was discovered during an examination Tuesday at Stanford. Manager Mark Kotsay said Wednesday before the Athletics' 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers that the injury removes a middle-of-the-order bat.
"This is a big blow," Kotsay said. "It's a guy that produced for us offensively for the last three seasons with 30-plus homers. There's not one guy that is going to come in here and step in with that type of production.
Rooker, 31, has not played since June 8. 200 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs. A two-time All-Star, he appeared in all 162 games during the 2025 season but dealt with the knee issue plus a nagging oblique problem this year.
Three other Athletics starters also landed on the injured list in late June: infielders Zack Gelof with a bruised right hand and Jacob Wilson with right thumb inflammation, plus left fielder Tyler Soderstrom with left hip impingement.
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