Athletics-Jacob Wilson Agree On 7-Year Contract Extension
According to reports dropping Friday afternoon, the A’s have locked up their All-Star shortstop, Jacob Wilson, to a seven-year, $70 million contract extension. For a franchise that spent the better part of two decades treating its roster like a thrift store donation bin, this feels like a glitch in the simulation.
But for Wilson, and the fans currently packing the seats in Sacramento, it is a sign that the dark days of constant liquidation might finally be in the rearview mirror.
A Steal Of a Deal For Wilson
Seven years for $70 million for a talent like this is astonishingly team-friendly. We are talking about a 23-year-old who just finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting. If Wilson had waited a few years and hit the open market in his prime, that number probably has nine figures attached to it.
But the A’s were smart here. By buying out his arbitration years and two years of free agency, they get cost certainty on a premium position player through the 2032 season. It is a classic “bet on yourself” deal for the team and financial security for the player.
For Wilson, the payday is well-earned. His rookie campaign in 2025 was nothing short of electric. He slashed .311/.355/.444, launched 13 homers, and drove in 63 runs. He didn’t just play; he starred, earning a starting spot in the All-Star Game. If he hadn’t missed time with a wrist injury, he might have beaten out his own teammate, Nick Kurtz, for the Rookie of the Year hardware.
The Anti-Moneyball Approach?
What makes this specific extension so fascinating is the player profile. In an era of baseball obsessed with launch angles, exit velocities, and “three true outcomes” (walk, strikeout, home run), Wilson is a throwback. He is a contact machine. He struck out just 39 times in 125 games. That is absurd in the modern game.
He puts the bat on the ball. He makes things happen. He is the son of former big leaguer Jack Wilson, and you can tell. He plays with a high IQ and a smoothness that usually takes veterans a decade to master. Locking him down means the A’s have a legitimate table-setter for the next decade.
Building a Core For the Desert
The context here is impossible to ignore. The A’s aren’t just playing for today in Sacramento; they are building the billboard for their eventual arrival in Las Vegas. You can’t open a shiny new stadium on the Strip with a roster full of guys on one-year “prove it” deals. You need stars. You need jerseys that fans can buy without fear of the player being traded three weeks later.
Wilson joins a growing list of young studs getting paid. The front office has recently handed out extensions to Tyler Soderstrom ($86 million), Lawrence Butler ($65.5 million), and Brent Rooker ($60 million). Suddenly, this looks like a cohesive core.
The A’s finished 76-86 last year, which doesn’t sound great on paper, but they played .547 ball after the All-Star break. That’s the pace of a playoff contender. With this core locked in, 2026 isn’t a rebuilding year anymore. It’s a “let’s go win the AL West” year.
Finally, Some Emotional Security
For the fans who have stuck around through the relocation drama, the “sell the team” chants, and the minor league park tenure, this Wilson news is a breath of fresh air. It’s permission to get attached again.
For years, loving this team was a dangerous game. You’d fall in love with a Matt Chapman or a Matt Olson, and before you could even break in your cap, they were shipped off for prospects. This extension signals a philosophical shift. Wilson isn’t going anywhere. He’s going to be turning double plays in Sacramento, and he’s going to be the face of the franchise when the lights turn on in Vegas.
