Lawrence Butler Fantasy Stats

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's contest against the Toronto Blue Jays. Butler started Opening Day but hasn't played since then. It's unclear if his absence is related to his pre-season knee injury or the fact that the A's have faced a left-handed pitcher on back-to-back days. Butler went 0-for-3 in his lone appearance back on Friday. He's coming off a suboptimal 2025 season in which he slashed .234/.306/.404 with 21 home runs, 22 stolen bases, and 96 wRC+. It will be interesting to see if Butler comes off the bench Sunday and if he gets into the lineup against Braves right-hander Bryce Elder on Monday. If not, it will be safe to assume that his knee injury is lingering into the regular season.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (knees) is making the start in right field and will bat leadoff in Friday night's Cactus League game against the Chicago Cubs. Butler made his spring training debut on Tuesday as the designated hitter but will now return to the outfield after having surgery on his left knee in the offseason. The 25-year-old has also battled tendinitis in his right knee. Butler broke out in 2024 with 22 homers and 18 RBI in 125 games in his first full season in the major leagues before slashing .234/.306/.404 with a .710 OPS, 21 home runs, 63 RBI, 22 stolen bases, and 83 runs scored in 152 games played in 2025. He obviously has the potential to put up another 20-20 season in the bandbox in Sacramento, but ultimately, his 2026 value will depend on how his knees hold up over the course of the season. RotoBaller has Butler ranked as the No. 41 fantasy outfielder because of his power/speed upside, but plenty of swing and miss and injury concerns make him more volatile than others around the same price.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (knees) was seen running the bases at the team's spring training facility in Mesa on Sunday. Mart n Gallegos of MLB.com reports that the A's are "looking at Tuesday for his first game playing outfield" during 2026 Cactus League action. Butler hasn't played yet this spring, but it sounds like he's getting close. The Athletics will be pleased to get him back ahead of Opening Day, kicking off a potential bounce-back campaign. Butler posted a modest .710 OPS with 96 wRC+ last year, but on a more positive note, he delivered a 20-homer, 20-steal campaign with 4 OAA and 1 FRV in the outfield. He currently ranks as the #41 outfielder in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for the 2026 season.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (knee) is in the final stages of rehab from offseason knee surgery and will likely be held out of Cactus League games until mid-spring, according to MLB.com's Martin Gallegos. Butler, 25, had surgery last October to fix a torn patellar tendon in his right knee, and he also needed a platelet-rich plasma injection for tendinitis in his left knee. It's not exactly what you want to hear from a power/speed outfielder in his prime, but the good news is that Butler is expected to be ready for Opening Day in late March as an everyday player for the A's. The former sixth-rounder in 2018 saw his batting average drop significantly in his second full season in the big leagues, but he still hit 21 homers, drove in 63 runs, and stole 22 bases in 152 games while playing through knee issues. An elevated strikeout rate (28.4%) was to blame for his drop in average. There's lots of risk here, but a healthy Butler has 30-30 potential in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in Sacramento.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (knee) was one of the breakout stars of the 2024 fantasy baseball season, recording an .807 OPS with 22 home runs and 18 stolen bases across just 451 plate appearances and earning a seven-year contract extension from his organization. However, the 25-year-old posted a somewhat underwhelming follow-up campaign in 2025. Across 630 plate appearances, Butler hit .234/.306/.404 with 21 home runs, 63 RBI, 83 runs scored, and 22 stolen bases. His strikeout rate jumped from 23.9% in 2024 to 28.4% in 2025, while his barrel rate fell from 11% to 9.2%. Over the offseason, Butler underwent knee surgery to repair a torn right patellar tendon, and reportedly battled knee troubles throughout 2025. He expects to be ready for the start of Spring Training, which means Butler could be in line for a bounce-back season with improved health. Even in a down year, Butler still provided fantasy managers with both power and speed, and he profiles as an everyday regular in an improving Athletics lineup. Butler carries some downside risk, but he could represent a value pick for fantasy managers as the 135th player off the board by current average draft position.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (knee) is moving around well following knee surgery and said he will be fully ready for the start of spring training in February, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Butler has dealt with knee issues in the past, and he had surgery early this month to fix a torn right patellar tendon. The 25-year-old also had scar tissue removed from the same knee and received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his left patellar tendon. Butler cleared the 20-homer mark for the second straight season and also had his first 20-20 campaign with the A's in 152 games played in 2025 in his second full season in the big leagues, but his knee issues could help explain why he hit only .234 (133-for-569) in 630 plate appearances. With better health in his knees, Butler's fantasy profile is still on the rise as a budding power-speed outfield threat.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (knee) had successful surgery on his right patellar tendon on Friday, according to the team. Dr. Mike Banffy performed a partial tendon repair and debridement of chronic scar tissue in Butler's knee. Additionally, Butler also received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his left patellar tendon to address chronic tendonitis. He will now rehab during the offseason and hopes to be ready for the start of spring training in 2026. The 25-year-old hit just .234 (133-for-569) in his second full MLB season, but he was also able to obtain his first 20-20 season with 21 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 152 games. Butler added a career-high 63 RBI and also set a new career high with 83 runs scored for a young, up-and-coming A's ballclub. It's a bit worrisome that Butler is dealing with issues to both of his knees, but you can't deny his 20-20 potential in fantasy.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is out of the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This appears to be a routine rest day for Butler who has started in nine straight games. The A's will play matchups here and rest Butler against left-handed starter Eduardo Rodriguez. Colby Thomas will take over in center field and bat fifth on Sunday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly ahead of first pitch.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Texas Rangers. This will be a rare rest day for Butler who is idle against left-handed starter Patrick Corbin. The A's are going to play matchups here with Butler and Tyler Soderstrom taking a seat. Butler is slashing .195/244/.390 against left-handed pitching this season, so it's not a bad idea to pull him out of the lineup. In his absence, Colby Thomas will cover center field and bat sixth on Wednesday.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler will take a seat ahead of Saturday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. The A's will play matchups here and rest the left-handed swinging Butler against left-handed starter Logan Allen. Honestly, Butler could probably use the day off after going 0-for-4 during the second half opener on Friday. Brent Rooker will shift over to right field and bat second against Allen on Saturday. Fantasy managers should remove Butler from their lineups, but expect him back in the mix on Sunday.