Brent Rooker Deserves an All-Star Nod
Walking around the Oakland A's clubhouse on Friday, every player we spoke to was in agreement that Mason Miller is likely to be the team's representative at the MLB All Star Game given how dominant he's been in the first half. The A's closer said that it would be awesome to be included in the festivities, and the achievement of a goal and an aspiration for him, but he also wants to see his teammate Brent Rooker in Texas with him, if he is indeed headed there himself.
"He's quietly put together an even better season than he had last year" Miller said.
The sentiment was echoed in every corner of the clubhouse, and with some coaxing, Rooker admitted that he does believe that he is worthy of a nod this year, too.
"I think I deserve to be there. Whether or not I am is left up to the player vote. I don't have a feeling of how that's going to go, but I've been very pleased with how I've performed, and how I've played, and how I've produced to this point in the season. That's all that's in my control, and I've been very happy with that."
Rooker was the A's lone representative last season, midway through a 30 home run campaign. Heading into Saturday's game, the DH has racked up 17 homers in 75 games played after hitting 16 in 78 first-half games last year. He's also hitting .270 this year with a .347 OBP after hitting .246 with a .341 OBP in the first half a year ago.
The stats are there for Rooker to earn his second selection, but the real question is about the competition he's facing this year. Houston's Yordan Alvarez has already been voted in by the fans, and last year there were only two DH representatives on each roster.
The good news is that Rooker ranks fifth among all designated hitters in baseball in fWAR with 2.0, and one of the players ahead of him is Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman who has received an occasional break with some games at DH. He was also voted in as the starting catcher for the American League, so that leaves Rooker in fourth place among all MLB DH by fWAR.
Shohei Ohtani leads the pack with 4.8 WAR and a 188 wRC+ (100 is league average), but he's in the National League now, so no need to worry about him in this process. Yordan is ranked second with a 160 wRC+ and 2.8 WAR, and Marcell Ozuna is third with a 160 and 2.6 WAR.
Then there is Rooker, who holds a 151 wRC+, which is within range of both Ozuna and Alvarez. After Rook there is nearly a 20% drop in production before the fifth-best DH by wRC+, Kyle Schwarber, and his 133. Schwarber is also on the Phillies, so he isn't even running the same race.
The only player that could have a case, and it's a small one, is Minnesota's Ryan Jeffers. He's hitting .237 with a .324 OBP, a 128 wRC+, and 1.9 WAR. Rooker has him beat in every category, but some could attempt to justify it by saying that the Twins are in postseason contention, therefore he deserves a nod. While Jeffers has logged time at DH, like Rutschman, he's primarily a catcher.
If you're looking for a straight-up DH to compare to Rooker for this spot, Giancarlo Stanton would be the best bet, and the New York Yankees slugger has a 125 wRC+ and has racked up less than half the WAR that Rooker has at 0.7.
The answer to which player should nab the second DH spot in the American League should be Brent Rooker. Not only is he one of the two best players at his position, but he's also a top-15 bat in MLB by wRC+. He is equal distance (seven points) from performing like Mookie Betts at the plate as he is with the 16th ranked bat in baseball. Betts is ranked tenth with a 158 wRC+.
The voting has already happened, and reserves will be announced for the All Star Game on Sunday, but as Rooker said, he deserves to be there.
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JASON BURKE
Jason is the host of the Locked on A's podcast, and the managing editor of Inside the A's. He's a new father and can't wait to take his son to his first baseball game at the Coliseum.