Athletics’ Brent Rooker Reacts to Suggestions for All-Star Swing-Off Lineup
Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker, along with two other players, was selected for the AL’s first All-Star swing-off. The event, which drew excitement and debate, featured a historic tiebreaker resembling the Home Run Derby. While the National League emerged victorious with players like Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso, the selection of participants raised questions among fans and analysts.
ESPN MLB reporter Jeff Passan proposed an alternative lineup, suggesting a matchup between Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the AL and Shohei Ohtani, Pete Alonso, and Kyle Schwarber for the NL. Rooker responded humorously to the suggestion, jokingly commenting, ‘Am I not good enough for you, Jeff?’ However, he later clarified that he had no issue with Passan’s recommendations, stating, ‘I would pick Aaron, Cal and Vladdy over me too.’
MLB All-Star manager Aaron Boone explained that each manager was required to submit three players the day before the event, choosing those who were likely to be in the game during the late innings. This decision led to the selected lineup, which included Rooker and others. The selection process highlighted the challenges of balancing team representation with individual performance considerations.
Rooker’s participation in the swing-off follows his earlier attention-grabbing moment during the Home Run Derby, where he was seen feeding his 11-month-old daughter a bottle. A fan criticized him for this on social media, prompting Rooker to respond, ‘Yes, it was necessary to feed my 11-month-old child her nighttime bottle at like 9:00 pm. Thank You for asking.’ This incident, like the swing-off selection, sparked discussions about personal moments versus professional expectations in sports.