Athletics' Rooker Exits vs. Yankees with Flank Injury

Brent Rooker, the Oakland Athletics' right fielder, left Thursday's 10-0 victory over the New York Yankees in the first inning after experiencing right flank discomfort during an at-bat against starter Ryan Weathers.

With Nick Kurtz on first base, Rooker fouled off an 0-1 changeup and immediately grabbed at his right side, signaling pain near his hip or back. He stepped away from the plate, conferred briefly with manager Mark Kotsay and a trainer, and was replaced by Lawrence Butler. Butler struck out on the next pitch, with the at-bat charged to Rooker. The Athletics announced the injury in the fourth inning, describing it as preliminary right flank discomfort. The team scheduled imaging for Rooker on Friday to assess the severity, with concerns raised about a possible oblique strain that could sideline the slugger for weeks.

Rooker, a two-time All-Star, entered the game hitting .146 with two home runs and eight RBIs over 49 plate appearances, reflecting a slow start to the 2026 season. His contributions had been pivotal in recent games, however. On Sunday, he slugged both of his season home runs and drove in a career-high six runs, including a three-run walk-off homer in the...