Brent Rooker had mentioned he’d be open to competing in the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby for some time, and on Thursday, the Athletics star’s wish came true.
The 30-year-old enters Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Braves with 19 home runs this year and is on pace to have 30-plus home runs for the third consecutive season – he’d be just the third A’s batter, along with Khris Davis (2016-18) and Jason Giambi (1999-2001), to accomplish the feat since 1999.
The 2024 Silver Slugger Award winner is having himself quite a week after also being named to his second All-Star Game on Sunday as an American League reserve. Along with the 19 long balls, the designated hitter also has a .270 batting average and 50 RBI this season.
Rooker will be the first player to represent the Green and Gold in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson competed in 2021 and he’ll look to be the first Athletics batter to win the event since Yoenis Cespedes won back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014. Cespedes and Mark McGwire are the only A’s players to win the event.
The other competitors already announced for the event include Cal Raleigh, James Wood, Byron Buxton, Oneil Cruz, Junior Caminero and Ronald Acuña Jr.
It won’t be much of an All-Star “break” for Rooker, but it’ll definitely be one to remember for the A’s slugger.
