Athletics slugger Brent Rooker undergoes surgery on right forearm for elbow issue

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker underwent surgery on his right forearm after being bothered by an elbow issue that limited him to playing primarily designated hitter this season.

Rooker's arthoscopic procedure was performed Tuesday by Dr. Michael Freehill to repair an extensor tendon that was partially torn, according to general manager David Forst.

“Easy cleanup and should be 100% by spring training,” Forst said.

The 29-year-old Rooker had a career-high 39 home runs and 112 RBIs while batting .365 over 145 games — 131 of those as DH. Manager Mark Kotsay hopes once healthy Rooker might be a regular outfield option again.

He was in the training room almost daily to feel well enough to play.

“Rook, he surpassed expectations in 2023 and sort of announced his presence as a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat and then took it a step further this year where he should have been a back-to-back All-Star," Forst said in video call Friday. “He was the guy we wanted up in every situation. He was the guy Mark counted on. He was not 100% healthy all year. I don’t know how many people even really noticed, but he didn’t play the outfield after the second half of the season.”

Forst added: “I’m not a doctor, I just play one on TV. But it strikes me as very impressive that he was able to battle through what he did and put up the offensive season that he had.”

Building a stronger offensive team will be a top priority as the club relocates to Sacramento for what's expected to be the next three years before the hope of playing in a new ballpark in Las Vegas for the 2028 campaign.

After consecutive 100-loss seasons, the A's finished 69-93 in Kotsay's third season and the final year at the Oakland Coliseum.

“Our biggest thing as we talk about lengthening the lineup, if we can do that with utilizing the DH position to add another bat and Rook can go out and play the outfield, that’s going to make us better,” Kotsay said. "We’re always looking to maximize our roster, and with Rook being able to play the outfield, it’s definitely going to help us do that.”

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Oakland Athletics' Brent Rooker advances to third base on a single by JJ Bleday during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Oakland Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker walks to the dugout after striking out against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Oakland Athletics' Brent Rooker (25) is greeted by Max Schuemann (12) after both scored on Rooker's two-run home run on a pitch from Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock during the fifth inning in a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Oakland Athletics' Brent Rooker hits a two-run home run on a pitch from Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock during the fifth inning in a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin has fired coach Bo Svensson and his assistants after nine games without a win in all competitions.

The Bundesliga club said Friday it will decide on a new coach to take charge of the team from Jan. 2 in the “next days.”

Union was knocked out of the German Cup and hasn’t won a game since beating promoted Holstein Kiel in October. It hasn’t won any of its last eight Bundesliga games under Svensson, who took over in the summer, and the team showed little sign of development during his stay despite an encouraging start.

“We’re convinced that a significant change is necessary to reverse the trend,” Union sporting director Horst Heldt said. “We have therefore decided not to continue our collaboration with Bo Svensson, Babak Keyhanfar, Kristoffer Wichmann and Tijan Njie.”

Svensson's last game in charge was a chastening 4-1 loss at Werder Bremen on Dec. 21.

Union has had little luck with coaching appointments since firing club favorite Urs Fischer last season. Fischer had led the club to Bundesliga promotion for the first time in 2019, followed by ever-improving finishes in the Bundesliga until it qualified for the Champions League in 2023.

That success arguably upset the balance in the team as it prompted Heldt to bring in experienced big names like Leonardo Bonucci and Robin Gosens to prepare it for the additional demands of competing in European soccer’s top club competition. Both have since left Union.

Fischer was fired after a 14-game run without a win. Marco Grote took over on an interim basis, then Croatian coach Nenad Bjelica was appointed for what proved to be an unhappy spell. Bjelica was fired after a loss to relegation rival Bochum left the club a point above the drop zone. Grote returned and ultimately steered the club to safety on the final day.

Svensson, who was appointed almost as soon as last season ended, was supposed to toughen the team and restore the fighting qualities that had made it so successful under Fischer. Ultimately, he failed to do so.

Union next plays at Heidenheim after the winter break on Jan. 11, before hosting Augsburg. Both opponents are behind 12th-place Union in the standings.

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Berlin's head coach Bo Svensson gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and 1. FC Union Berlin in Bremen, Germany, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen./dpa via AP)