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Oakland Athletics' Lawrence Butler Supplements Hitting Streak With Historic Power

Lawrence Butler has helped buoy the Oakland Athletics' offense with an 18-game hitting streak, emulating Mark McGwire with his eight home runs in that time.
Sam Connon|
Sep 6, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics right fielder Lawrence Butler (4) runs to third base against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Sep 6, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics right fielder Lawrence Butler (4) runs to third base against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

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Oakland Athletics

Lawrence Butler has been one of baseball's hottest hitters for more than two months, but he has taken things to a whole new level over the past few weeks.

In fact, the 24-year-old outfielder has managed to join quite the exclusive list in the Oakland Athletics' history books thanks to his explosive production at the plate as of late.

Butler is in the midst of an 18-game hitting streak that dates back to an Aug. 21 showdown with the Tampa Bay Rays. Since then, Butler has hit .392 with eight home runs, seven doubles, four walks, 14 RBI, a .423 on-base percentage, a .811 slugging percentage and a 1.234 OPS.

According to StatMuse Baseball, Butler is the first Athletic with a slugging percentage of at least .800 during an 18-game hitting streak since Mark McGwire achieved the feat back in 1995.

Considering McGwire was a 12-time All-Star who ranks No. 11 on the all-time home run leaderboards, that's some pretty solid company to be a part of.

Butler is batting .327 with 19 home runs, 46 RBI, 11 stolen bases and a 1.043 OPS since June 30. He and Brent Rooker – who is hitting .340 with 20 home runs, 52 RBI, six stolen bases and a 1.076 OPS over that same span – have led the A's to a 32-26 record since the start of July, which is third-best in the American League in that time.

On the whole this season, Butler is a .270 hitter with 21 home runs, 54 RBI, 14 stolen bases, an .847 OPS and a 2.7 WAR.

Butler and the Athletics are off Monday. They will return to action Tuesday against the Houston Astros, with first pitch slated for 8:10 p.m. ET.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer covering baseball for “Fastball on SI.’’ He previously covered UCLA Athletics for On SI’s All Bruins site, and is a UCLA graduate, with his work there as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for On SI’s New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Sam lives in Boston.

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