Ah, Law. Charismatic, moody, intense, and above all flowing with talent. Fresh off an extension that will keep Butler under contract through 2032, the A’s right-fielder followed up an electric second half of 2024 with … a mixed bag in 2025.
How Was He Acquired?
In 2018, the A’s made Butler their 6th round pick out of Westlake HS in Atlanta. Butler struggled his first 2 minor leagues before breaking out and starting the steady climb up the ladder until he was given his first cup of coffee in the big leagues in 2023.
What Were The Expectations?
Coming off a terrific second stint in 2024 followed by a 7 year, $65.5M contract extension, expectations were sky high. Butler’s goal was to play in the All-Star game being played in his home town.
Trouble is, the person with the highest expectations might have been Butler himself as he appeared to put a lot of pressure on himself and then become despondent when he failed.
2025 Results
The best news is that Butler’s RF defense took a step forward, from a tepid -1 DRS/-1 OAA his rookie season to a more encouraging +2 DRS/+3 OAA in 2025.
Forced to man CF later in the year when sidekick and friend Denzel Clarke hit the IL, Butler was inconsistent, making some highlight reel catches but also misplaying some reads and routes.
At the plate is where Law fought himself and the Law lost. There were flurries of the old Butler but long stretches of mediocrity, all adding up a disappointing .234/.306/.404, 96 wRC+ line for the season. He especially struggled against LHP, putting up just a .188/.228/.342, 52 wRC+ line with a 39.8% K rate.
In aggregate Butler was still a very useful player, 2.0 WAR and a young leader in the clubhouse. But as someone who wears his emotions on his sleeve, during a tough season Butler often looked like he was sulking and might not have given off the vibe he would want to project to his teammates.
2026 Outlook
It’s hard to say whether the mental/emotional aspect of the game, where Butler sometimes appears to struggle, is a matter of maturity or simply “who he is”. The former would suggest improvement from one year to the next, the later not so much.
Fact is Butler is primed, more than any A’s player, for a “bounce back” season — partly because he has a down season to bounce back from. The A’s and their fans would, of course, welcome a return to the “budding star” qualities he showed in 2024 when his .300/.345/.553 second half made him a force as a lead off hitter or middle of the order hitter, take your pick.
Because he has shown his ceiling in one season and closer to his floor in another, 2026 figures to be an important year for Butler and with his fortunes may go much of the A’s chances to compete for a post-season berth. (Especially if he develops a wipe out splitter and moonlights as the A’s #2 SP.)
