Why A's Must Send Lawrence Butler Down to Triple-A
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Ever since the A's awarded their outfielder, Lawrence Butler, an extension following his amazing second half of 2024, he hasn't quite performed to expectations.
In that second half, Butler posted an impressive .300 batting average, 13 homers, and an .898 OPS in 237 at-bats. Those impressive numbers impressed the A's so much that they decided to extend him long-term, so they could have him past their move to Las Vegas.
Lawrence Butler over the batter's eye 💪
— MLB (@MLB) June 11, 2026
He knew he got it! pic.twitter.com/3L98tCqh0K
Unfortunately, Lawrence Butler hasn't quite lived up to the money the A's are paying him. It also doesn't help that he's currently in a limited role on the roster. This is due to the recent success of the Colby Thomas and Carlos Cortes platoon in right field.
This has meant Butler isn't getting everyday playing time to work his way out of his slump. There might only be one option for him to get daily at-bats, and it won't be in the big leagues.
Lawrence Butler's Struggles Over the Last Two Seasons
Heading into 2025, he was coming off a strong second half in the year prior, and he also got rewarded with a nice payday. However, his confidence didn't really translate into results that season.
He would finish with a .234 batting average in 630 plate appearances in 2025. Although the average doesn't jump out at you, he was able to post a .710 OPS with 21 home runs. He showed glimpses of being a solid player, but just couldn't stay consistent.
Now heading into the 2026 season, he added an extra inch to his bat and was ready to be the team's everyday right-fielder. Unfortunately for Law, it wouldn't be too long until he would see the field less and less.
The emergence of Carlos Cortes and the rough-hitting Butler would make it an easy option for Mark Kotsay to make against right-handed pitchers. Butler entered the finale against Milwaukee with a .163 batting average.
If the A's organization wants Butler to play daily, their only option might be optioning him to Triple-A. Even though he homered on Wednesday night against the Brewers, he's gonna still need some tweaking to his swing, as well as some confidence.
How A's Will Handle Jacob Wilson's Return
With Jacob Wilson set to return from the Injured List as early as Friday, the A's will have some roster decisions to make.
They could go with Wilson's current replacement in Alika Williams, but he's been earning himself more looks in the big leagues. His speed and defense make him a good late-inning replacement, and also a good shortstop if Wilson needs a rest day.
It's also worth mentioning that the A's are carrying a lot of outfielders on their current roster. They also have some infielders who can slot in the outfield if needed. Zack Gelof has gotten some time out there this season.
Besides Williams, the only other two options are really optioning Lawrence Butler or possibly designating the slumping Jeff McNeil for assignment, because McNeil is going through a rough patch at the plate, but he still offers veteran presence and leadership.
It'll be interesting to see what their move is to make space for Wilson, but there's certainly a chance we see Lawrence Butler sent down to the minors.
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Dylan Quinn grew up playing baseball, and also enjoyed watching and writing about his favorite team, the A’s. Being a diehard A’s fan from New Jersey is certainly not common, but he loves the team and all of the current and former players so much. Quinn currently attends school at Penn State Scranton where he plays baseball.
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