Athletics, Lawrence Butler Agree To A Seven-Year, $65.5 Million Extension
The Athletics and their dynamic young outfielder Lawrence Butler have agreed to a seven-year, $65.5 million contract extension. In 2024, the former sixth-round draft pick slashed .262/.317/.490 with 22 home runs and 18 stolen bases in just 125 games (451 PA). The 24-year-old is a power-speed threat, batting atop the A's lineup in front of home run hitters Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers, so fantasy managers should expect solid production across the board from the youngster. ATC projections, which are conservative by nature, see the left-handed hitter with a .250-24-69-77-19 line in 2025, and he's got an NFBC ADP of 68, which is right around where RotoBaller has him ranked at 64 overall.
Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is engaged in talks with the team about a long-term contract extension after his breakout performance in 2024, according to people briefed on the discussions who weren't authorized to speak publicly. The 24-year-old power and speed threat hit .262/.317/.490 with an .807 OPS, 22 home runs, 57 RBI, 18 stolen bases and 63 runs scored in 125 games in his first full season in the big leagues. He hit .219 with 20 home runs in 84 games in the second half after being called up from the minors in June. The Athletic's Evan Drellich thinks the five-year, $25 million extension that outfielder Myles Straw got from his former team, the Guardians, represents a low-end comparison for Butler's potential deal. Butler's ceiling for an extension could be the eight-year, $100 million deal Atlanta gave Ronald Acuna Jr. A seven-year, $55 million deal could be a nice starting point.
Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (illness) is back in right field and is batting leadoff for the A's on Wednesday against the division-rival Houston Astros and right-hander Hunter Brown at Minute Maid Park. Butler was under the weather on Monday but is feeling better on Tuesday and will return atop Oakland's batting order. The 24-year-old former sixth-round selection in 2018 is having a breakout campaign in just his second year in the majors and in his first full season in the big leagues. He comes into Wednesday's game slashing .270/.324/.523 with an .847 OPS, 21 home runs, 54 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 110 games played. Butler's second half has been more impressive, as he's hit .328/.368/.638 with a 1.006 OPS, 12 homers, 29 RBI and eight stolen bases in 46 games. Get him back into your lineups on Wednesday now that he's feeling better.
Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (illness) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Houston Astros. It sounds like Butler caught an illness that is going around the clubhouse. A's manager Mark Kotsay said he's hopeful that Butler can return on Wednesday. In the meantime, Seth Brown will cover right field and bat fifth versus right-hander Spencer Arrighetti. Brown could be a low-risk DFS option with a .248 batting average and 14 home runs on the season. The left-handed slugger could have some success against Arrighetti on Tuesday.
Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler went 2-for-4 with a double and a solo home run in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Rangers, with both hits for the left-handed hitter coming against Cody Bradford, the left-handed starter for the Rangers. Butler has been on a tear lately, now with a 10-game hit streak and 10 consecutive games in which he's scored at least one run. Over this stretch, the 24-year-old is 16-for-41 (.390) with three doubles, seven home runs, 13 RBI, 13 runs scored, two stolen bases, and a 2:2 BB:K. For the season, the former sixth-round draft pick owns a .257-20-53-52-12 line with a .350 wOBA and a 133 wRC+ in 102 games. He'll look to finish the season strong and has certainly increased his fantasy draft stock for next season.
Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler went off on Thursday, going 3-for-4 with three home runs and four RBI. Butler hit his 17th homer in the second inning, his 18th in the fourth, and his 19th in the ninth, which also happened to be a game-tying homer. The 24-year-old now has five homers in his past three games, a stretch that has his fantasy owners breathing a sigh of relief after a slump in early August. Although there may be some ups and downs, Butler should be a solid fantasy asset down the stretch and should be owned in all formats.
Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler homered and swiped a bag in Wednesday night's win over the hosting Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Before legging out an RBI groundout in the seventh inning, Butler led off the game with a home run to right field to give the Athletics a 1-0 lead over the Reds on Wednesday. The 24-year-old right fielder has become a lineup fixture in Oakland as a leadoff man during his first full year in the major leagues this season, batting .307 (47-for-153) with 12 home runs, 35 RBI, and 31 runs scored in his last 41 games.
Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler had a nice game at the plate in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Reds. Butler went 2-for-5 with a single and a two-run home run. The 24-year-old capped off a four-run seventh inning, crushing a Justin Wilson slider into the left-field seats. Butler has shown some encouraging signs throughout the season but has been erratic overall. His July was stellar but his production the rest of the season has been lackluster, culminating in a .246/.304/.462 slash line with 15 HR, 45 runs scored, 45 RBI, and 11 stolen bases in 332 plate appearances.
Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Butler will receive a much-needed day off after playing in every game since the All-Star break. The left-handed slugger was hitting everything in sight towards the end of July. Since then, Butler has cooled off a bit but still has a .778 OPS with 12 home runs and 35 RBI this season. Daz Cameron will serve as the leadoff hitter and play right field versus left-handed Ky Bush on Monday.
Oakland Athletics outfield Lawrence Butler continued his insane July on Thursday, going 2-for-5 with a homer and a double. Butler drove in a pair and scored twice to round out his stat line. He now has a ridiculous July line with a .413 AVG, 19 runs, nine homers, 26 RBI, and two steals. Given that production, he should be rostered in all leagues at this point, and he's still out their in some shallow ones. While he could plummet back to earth at any time, the upside he is showing now makes him a must-roster player.
Lawrence Butler
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Athletics
