10 realistic trade options for the Cardinals at the deadline

OF/DH Brent Rooker

An acquisition of Brent Rooker has grown on me. When Jeff Passan initially listed him as a good fit for the Cardinals a month ago (subscription required), I was skeptical. His positional limitations paired with a primary role as a designated hitter would pigeonhole the Cardinals with their lineups, something Oli Marmol isn't keen to typically.

However, as time has passed -- and as Rooker has continued to rake -- I've warmed up to the idea of acquiring the right-handed masher from Oakland.

Rooker, 29, got a late start in the majors. He debuted as a 25-year-old in 2020 with the Minnesota Twins. He has played for the Twins, Padres, Royals, and now the Athletics. It took him until last year to flourish on the offensive side of the game, and he's taken it to a new level in 2024. This year, Rooker is slashing .291/.369/.573 for an OPS of .942 and an OPS+ of 169. He has hit 21 home runs, brought in 62 runners, and he's even stolen five bases.

Brent Rooker does a good job at drawing walks (10.5%), but he strikes out quite often (34.8%). On the defensive side, he struggles. He's played the bulk of his games as a designated hitter, but in 102 innings in the outfield, he's been worth -3 outs above average, -2 defensive runs saved, and his ultimate zone rating is -0.5. Rooker should be employed primarily as the team's DH, but he could find some spare innings in the outfield. Michael Siani, Lars Nootbaar, and Brendan Donovan are all plus outfielders, so they can help cover the weaker Rooker.

Rooker jumps into arbitration next year, so he isn't a free agent until 2028. His offensive prowess paired with his team control will make him a costly entity. The Cardinals will have to part with one major league regular (Nolan Gorman, Alec Burleson, or even Lars Nootbaar) plus a prospect that they may covet to land Rooker. The A's aren't looking to contend anytime soon, so the more team control on the player in exchange, the better.