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

Now the A's have a couple of key questions to answer

Apr 8, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker (25) hits a run scoring sacrifice fly in the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

After leaving Thursday's game against the New York Yankees in the first inning after a tough swing, Brent Rooker has officially been placed on the IL by the A's ahead of Friday's contest with the New York Mets.

As we reported yesterday, taking his place on the 26-man roster is Zack Gelof, who has been off to a hot start with Triple-A Las Vegas. According to what we've read, the recovery timeline for Rooker will depend upon the severity of the Costochondral cartilage injury. The range can be anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

The question will now become how the A's will utilize their lineup to replace their DH. The slugger has racked up at least 30 home runs in each of the past three seasons and has been a key cog in the A's offense since his arrival in 2023.

A's lineup adjustments without Rooker

Apr 5, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics right fielder Carlos Cortes (26) hits a two run single to right field against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

On Friday the A's will be using outfielder Carlos Cortes in the DH spot, while slotting him eighth in the lineup. This will add a fifth left-handed bat to the lineup, while leaving none on the bench for a pinch-hitting scenario.

No Brent Rooker in today’s lineup. pic.twitter.com/ADHuYg7o6H

— Jason Burke (@ByJasonB) April 10, 2026

The other interesting note here is that Lawrence Butler is moving up to leadoff after the left-hander has hit .273 with a .360 OBP, a home run and six RBI in his past seven games. Slotting him at the top of the lineup is certainly where the A's would like him when he's swinging it well.

Moving down the order is Kurtz, who will be batting second for the first time this season while a right-hander is on the mound. He has been slotted behind Shea Langeliers a couple of times this year, but typically with a southpaw on the bump.

While adding Gelof is a nice addition to the roster—especially if he's hitting like he was his rookie season—the roster is just going to look different without a main source of power.

How the A's adjust their style of play during Rooker's absence could be a determining factor for how well this season ends up going. Rooker headed to the IL is certainly a blow, but with the addition of Gelof, perhaps they're more open to a hit-and-run approach in certain situations, or getting some guys to cycle through the DH spot more regularly.

The sooner the A's front office and manager Mark Kotsay pick a slightly adjusted path for the offense, the better off the team will be.

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