Lawrence Butler Says He Wants Mariners Fans to "Go Home Sad"

After a 6–4 win in Seattle, Lawrence Butler made his stance clear on the Mariners rivalry, adding new fuel to a matchup that has shaped the A’s recent history.

Apr 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics right fielder Lawrence Butler (4) heads to the dugout after the final out of the second inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

Last season, the A’s-Mariners series carried real weight, with each matchup shaping the direction of both clubs. The A’s were still an emerging team trying to prove they could compete with a Seattle squad that had dominated the head-to-head matchup from 2021 through 2024, going 17–47 over that stretch. Even so, Oakland flipped the script slightly last year, finishing 6–7 against the Mariners.

In 2026, the stakes feel even higher. With the A’s aiming to contend for an AL West title, beating Seattle isn’t just symbolic. It’s essential.

That tone showed up immediately Monday night after the A's 6–4 win in the season’s first meeting. Outfielder Lawrence Butler didn’t hold back when speaking to Martín Gallegos: “If we want to beat anybody, we want to beat the Mariners,” Butler said. “So it felt really good beating them tonight. I wish [the stadium] was more packed out so more fans could go home sad.”

The announced attendance was 20,203.

Remember this quote?

Sep 23, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Cole Irvin (19) reacts after giving up a home run against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Part of the reason that the Seattle Mariners seemed to fare so well against the A's for that period of time is that former A's pitcher Cole Irvin dropped a quote of his own to the San Francisco Chronicle after a rough start against the M's back in 2021.

"Yeah, there was a lot of weak contact and some swings that ended up being hits. But I think at the end of the day, just pitch execution needs to be a lot better and a team like that should not be putting up 10 hits against me or anyone."

Some of what followed was the quote from Irvin, who ended up with an 0-5 record against Seattle that year, thanks to his 8.69 ERA in those outings. In 19 2/3 innings in those starts, he gave up 35 hits and walked 10, leading to a 2.288 WHIP. Outside of those starts he was pretty solid, holding a 4.24 ERA with a 1.329 WHIP that included those five tough outings.

The rest of those losses can be chalked up to the two clubs being in different competitive cycles. In 2026, the A's are ready to show that they have arrived.

Rivalry renewed

This A's team is playing with confidence, which is highlighted by Butler's comments after Monday's win. The quote is less about the game itself, and more about where the A's see themselves being when the season is over—and knowing who they need to take down to make it happen.

It also made clear that the A's aren't trying to hide in the shadows and sneak up on anyone. They want the Mariners to know exactly what's coming. On Monday night, they backed that up with the kind of performance that they'll have to continue to repeat this season in order to stay in the AL West conversation.

Now the goal is simple: keep stacking wins against Seattle, and make sure they mean something at the end of the year.

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