Lawrence Butler DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler went 2-for-5 with a home run to extend his hitting streak to four games on Thursday afternoon during their victory over the Chicago White Sox. In the opening frame, Butler would hit a leadoff double and would eventually score on a Jacob Wilson double. Later in the contest, Butler would hit a solo shot in the fifth inning off Chicago starter Chris Martin. The 24-year-old has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign, posting a .296/.390/.451 line with two long balls and six stolen bases. He has generated a strong .355 xwOBA, 92.1 mph average exit velocity, with a 74.1 mph bat speed, which are all above the average marks. Butler remains a must-start option in all formats and is a strong play in DFS on Friday, facing Milwaukee right-hander Chad Patrick.

Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler made an impact on the basepaths Wednesday, stealing two bases in a 3-1 win over the Chicago White Sox. Butler ended up going 1-for-5 in this one, but still contributed with his speed. It's been a mediocre start to the season for the popular breakout pick, who now has a .288 AVG and .784 OPS with a homer and four steals. Fantasy managers certainly expected more in terms of a power/speed combo, but it is still early and Butler is a fairly streaky hitter. He is at least contributing to AVG and steals and could go off at any time, so holding tight is likely the best option for his fantasy owners.

Athleticsoutfielder Lawrence Butler went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, two RBI, and a run scored in Sunday's 12-5 loss to the Rockies. The 6-foot-3 left-handed slugger, who signed a big off-season contract extension, got off to a slow start to begin the year, going 4-for-24 (.167) over the first seven games, but now has three consecutive multi-hit efforts during which time he is 7-for-14 (.500). The 24-year-old is now hitting .289 on the young season with four extra base hits, two RBI, six runs scored, one stolen base, and a fantastic 6:5 BB:K. It amounts to a .370 wOBA and a 142 wRC+ for the former sixth-round draft pick, who should continue to be a strong fantasy producer hitting atop the A's lineup.

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.