Brent Rooker Injury Gives Mariners One Less AL West Threat to Worry About

The A’s took a major hit, and Seattle should treat it like an opening.

Jun 7, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Burrows (50) reacts and Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker (25) rounds the bases after. hitting a home run during the fifth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Mariners aren’t the only team going through it in the AL West. At least not this season. The Athletics have had their string of injuries pile up. And the most recent one involves Brent Rooker. His 2026 season is over after cartilage damage in his left knee forced him toward season-ending surgery. He finished at .200/.281/.389 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI in 48 games. 

It’s definitely not the same monster version of Rooker we’ve seen in recent seasons, but this is still a two-time All-Star and a hitter who has cleared 30 home runs in each of the last three seasons.

The A’s Bad Injury Luck Just Helped Seattle’s Division Push

For the Mariners, that removes one more uncomfortable variable from a division race that already has enough of them. Seattle still has Texas (winners of six out of their last seven) to worry about. And Houston isn’t going away quietly, because of course not. 

That doesn’t mean the Athletics will no longer be pesky. Banged-up teams can still ruin your night. They can be filled with players who are auditioning for future roles. And if they want it bad enough, they can hurt you. But there’s a difference between dealing with a pesky division opponent and one that still has Brent Rooker sitting in the middle of the lineup. That’s a stark difference. 

Rooker hadn’t played since June 8 after landing on the injured list with a bone bruise. The Athletics were already asking too much of a lineup that has been beaten up over and over again. Jacob Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom and Zack Gelof have also been on the injured list, which means manager Mark Kotsay has had to build lineups with too many missing pieces and not enough answers.

Seattle has spent too much of this season with problems of their own. They’re still dealing with injuries as well. The rotation has done its job often enough. The bullpen has been hot and cold, but it still needs reinforcements. But most importantly, the lineup has been fragile, streaky and, at times, exhausting to watch. The Mariners cannot look at Rooker’s injury and act like their own flaws have disappeared.

But the division landscape did soften, as if it wasn’t already soft enough from the view outside of the AL West. The A’s remaining power now falls more heavily on Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz and Lawrence Butler. Kurtz is the obvious name to worry about. He’s slashing .276/.421/.516 with 19 home runs and 64 RBI, and already a heavy favorite in the MVP race. But there’s also a lot less certainty. Rooker was another name pitchers had to circle. Without him, the A’s lineup becomes easier to navigate. Maybe not easy. But easier.