Lawrence Butler Is Back: How A’s Young Star Turned His Season Around

In life, we all face adversity at some point. It’s human nature to struggle and get frustrated when things aren’t going your way, whether it’s trying to move up in your career or struggling to connect with a 95-mile-per-hour baseball coming at you.

Nothing is linear, but it’s about overcoming the problems life throws your way to reach the heights you aspire to. Earlier this season, adversity and noise were getting louder around Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler. The fourth-year MLB outfielder was struggling, almost to the point that a potential demotion to Triple-A became part of the conversation as a way to restore his confidence.

Early Struggles Test Butler

Butler’s early struggles date back to recovering from right patellar tendon surgery in October after nagging knee issues in 2025—something that limited him on the bases and at the plate.

“There were a lot of times where I wanted to steal [a base], but I just wanted to finish the game and not do anything major to [the knee], so I would just stay at first,” Butler said. “I wouldn’t be able to get into my legs as much during my swing in certain games. It feels completely better this year.”

He rehabbed for most of the offseason before spring training camp. As the season began, Butler didn’t meet the expectations he set for himself after the A’s signed him to a seven-year, $65.5 million deal in March 2025. To begin the 2026 season, he struggled mightily, hitting .184/.260/.276 through his first 27 games with only eight runs in 87 at-bats.

By the All-Star break, Butler showed gradual improvement, with .201/.296/.301 batting splits and five home runs, but only 33 runs in over 250 at-bats. Despite Butler’s hitting struggles, the A’s trusted their young franchise cornerstone to regain his rhythm and confidence at the plate.

He did.

Finding His Swing Again

After returning to the lab with Athletics hitting director Darren Bush to widen his stance and limit head movement, Butler rediscovered the batting rhythm that has helped propel him through the second half of the season. The change has led Athletics manager Mark Kotsay to praise Butler’s relentless work ethic.

“I couldn’t be happier with Lawrence,” Kotsay said to MLB.com. “This kid has been grinding. He plays with emotion. He doesn’t want to disappoint anyone, especially the team. … Really proud of the way he’s responded to a lot of adversity and continues to get better.”

Butler has been one of the hottest hitters in the majors, and in his last 30 games entering Thursday night, he’s posted .297/.383/.550 with 8 HR, 26 RBI, and 13 runs in 111 at-bats. A season that once seemed gloomy began to brighten as the Athletics’ patience in keeping him in the majors paid off.

A Walk-Off Worth the Wait

On Sept. 13, Butler hammered a two-run walk-off home run against the Seattle Mariners with teammate Zack Gelof at first base. It was his 16th homer of the season and sealed the A’s 8-7 victory.

It was his first walk-off homer at any level, a testament to the rigorous work he put in.

“Just swinging at my pitches,” Butler told NBC Sports Bay Area after the game. “You know, not trying to force it, not trying to swing outside the zone, not trying to hit the pitcher’s pitch, but hit my pitch.”