Former Mississippi State baseball star Brent Rooker added another milestone to his career this weekend. Rooker belted his 100th career home run in the Major League with a solo shot in the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians on Friday.
Rooker’s performance featured an RBI triple in the ninth inning as the Athletics lost 8-6 in Cleveland, a stellar return to action after his second All-Star game appearance and first Home Run Derby appearance. He now has a team-best 21 home runs in 2025 as the A’s begin the second half of the year.
“It’s cool because it took a lot of hard work to get here,” Rooker said to MLB.com after the game. “Getting to 100 took a lot longer than I thought it would, so I’m proud of the accomplishment. It’s a good feeling.”
Rooker made his way to the A’s after bouncing around the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals organizations from 2020 to 2022. He was designated for assignment by the Royals in November 2022 and was claimed by the A’s, where he earned a spot on the 40-man roster the following spring.
Since then, Rooker has made two All-Star games with 90 home runs in green and yellow. He earned a five-year $60 million contract from the A’s in January, committing his future to the organization as it navigates relocation in a difficult American League West division.
“I’m excited about the way I’m playing, but I’m really enjoying being part of building this team and the process of getting there,” Rooker said. “We hit the ball hard all the time, and I’m proud of our guys and the way they keep fighting.”
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