Lawrence Butler’s first 26 games have been difficult. His .186/.263/.279 slash, .542 OPS, and 47 wRC+ indicate he’s not currently performing well at the plate.
Reasons for Optimism
Despite his slow start, there are reasons for optimism. His BABIP is just .237, below the league average of .290. In the past two seasons, it’s been just over .300.
His expected batting average sits at .253. He has good bat speed (73rd percentile) and is better than average when it comes to chasing outside of the zone (63rd percentile).
Butler has also been recovering from an offseason surgery. The A’s were bringing him along slowly in the first week or two of the regular season, after he made a late spring debut.
Historical Performance and Adjustments
Looking at Butler’s past production, he hasn’t often struggled this much for a full month in terms of wRC+. Since his breakout in July 2024, his worst month was July of last year, with a 62 wRC+.
He also struggled for most of the second half overall, finishing with a 70 wRC+ and batting .203/.268/.351. He still finished with the first 20/20 season for the A’s since 2013.
His struggles can be attributed to an injury in the second half of last season and league adjustments. Butler has made key adjustments in the past.
In 2024, he simply kept his head steady when swinging. Before that stretch he had posted an 11 wRC+ in nine May games, and a 13 wRC+ in 11 June games.
Future Outlook
Butler has made adjustments in the past and earned a contract extension. The hope is that he’ll replicate that process again this summer, and become another important piece in an already dangerous A’s lineup.