A's Lose Brent Rooker to IL in Tough Early Setback

Slugger's Costochondral Cartilage Injury Could Keep Him Out Weeks or Months

Apr. 10, 2026 at 8:57pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball player in motion, with the player's form broken down into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes in a range of blues, greens, and oranges.The A's lineup will look quite different without the powerful bat of Brent Rooker, forcing the team to adjust its offensive approach during his absence.Oakland Today

The Oakland Athletics have placed outfielder Brent Rooker on the injured list after he left Thursday's game against the New York Yankees with a Costochondral cartilage injury. Rooker, who has hit at least 30 home runs in each of the past three seasons, will be replaced on the roster by top prospect Zack Gelof as the A's look to adjust their lineup during Rooker's absence.

Why it matters

Rooker has been a key part of the A's offense since joining the team in 2023, and his power bat will be missed as the team navigates the early part of the season. How the A's adjust their lineup and approach without Rooker could be a determining factor in how well they perform in his absence.

The details

Rooker left Thursday's game in the first inning after a tough swing, and the A's have now officially placed him on the injured list ahead of Friday's contest against the New York Mets. The recovery timeline for his Costochondral cartilage injury could range from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, depending on the severity. With Rooker out, the A's will be using outfielder Carlos Cortes in the DH spot and moving Lawrence Butler up to the leadoff position, where he has hit .273 with a .360 OBP, a home run and six RBI in his past seven games.

  • Rooker left Thursday's game against the New York Yankees in the first inning.
  • The A's have officially placed Rooker on the injured list ahead of Friday's game against the New York Mets.

The players

Brent Rooker

An outfielder for the Oakland Athletics who has hit at least 30 home runs in each of the past three seasons.

Zack Gelof

A top prospect for the Oakland Athletics who has been called up from Triple-A Las Vegas to replace Rooker on the 26-man roster.

Carlos Cortes

An outfielder for the Oakland Athletics who will be used as the designated hitter in Rooker's absence.

Lawrence Butler

An outfielder for the Oakland Athletics who is moving up to the leadoff position after hitting .273 with a .360 OBP, a home run and six RBI in his past seven games.

Mark Kotsay

The manager of the Oakland Athletics.

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What’s next

The A's front office and manager Mark Kotsay will need to determine how to adjust the team's lineup and approach without Rooker's power bat in the lineup. The sooner they can settle on a slightly modified offensive strategy, the better off the team will be during Rooker's absence.

The takeaway

Losing a key power hitter like Brent Rooker to injury is a tough early setback for the Oakland Athletics, who will need to find creative ways to replace his production in the lineup. How the team adjusts its approach without Rooker could be a defining factor in how well they perform in the early part of the season.