Butler ramps up recovery efforts, eyes mid-Spring Training return

MESA, Ariz. -- Cactus League action is underway for the Athletics, but fans shouldn’t expect to see outfielder Lawrence Butler in the lineup any time soon.

Butler, who has been absent from the A’s first three games this spring, including Monday’s 6-2 loss to the Giants at Scottsdale Stadium, is still on the mend from an early October surgery to repair a partial tear in his right patellar tendon and address chronic scar tissue.

This continued recovery doesn’t mean Butler isn’t ramping up for the season. The 25-year-old outfielder has been regularly participating in live batting practice and taking swings against several A’s pitchers this spring. Defensively, he’s been able to shag balls in the outfield and do some light drills. Running the bases, however, remains his final hurdle to clear.

“The biggest thing is, we don’t want to start him too soon,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “If he sustains an injury, then we’d lose him for the start of the season. We’d rather have to maybe get him some at-bats on the Minor League side to make sure he’s prepared to where he’s not going out to play defense, yet he can get some at-bats and not have to run the bases to a certain extent.”

There is no set timeline for Butler to play his first Cactus League game, though Kotsay said he’d anticipate that to come in mid-spring. That potentially puts him in line for a return around the time the A’s head to Las Vegas to play two games against the Angels from March 7-8 at Las Vegas Ballpark, which should still give him enough reps to be ready for Opening Day in Toronto on March 27.

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Until then, Butler is practicing patience as best he can in camp. Eager to get the competitive juices flowing, he also understands there’s a recovery process he must follow.

“I’m glad I did [the surgery], and I’m just really ready to play to see how it holds up,” Butler said. “I’m confident that it will hold up.”

Butler’s knee issues lingered over the past year, worsening over the final month as he finished the season playing through the partial tear. He ended up with 21 home runs and 22 stolen bases to become the first A’s player with a 20-homer, 20-steal season since Coco Crisp in 2013. The overall numbers, however, a .234 batting average with a .710 OPS and 179 strikeouts in 152 games, fell below the high expectations Butler set for himself after signing a seven-year, $65.5 million contract extension with the A’s in March 2025.

“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.”

Aside from dealing with the injury, Butler looks back on his ‘25 campaign as a major learning experience.

It’s no secret that Butler plays with a lot of emotion – it showed when things were going well for him at the plate, and his infectious personality spread throughout the dugout. But there were also moments of visible frustration from Butler when going through a slump or bad stretch.

For 2026, Butler aims to do a better job of keeping his emotions in check, particularly when dealing with the ups and downs of a long season.

“I’m going to try to do a better job of showing up every day and being the same person,” Butler said. “Just stay even keel. Knowing one at-bat doesn’t dictate the rest of my season or the team’s season. One at-bat is just one at-bat. You’ll get another one. Just moving on quickly and turning the next page.”

Last year, Butler set a goal for himself in Spring Training to earn a selection to the All-Star Game and represent the A’s in his hometown of Atlanta, which ultimately didn’t materialize. As for his goals for this season, Butler maintains high expectations for himself, but his focus lies more on helping the team reach its goal of returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 than on any personal achievement.

“I’m not too focused on goals for myself this year,” Butler said. “I’m more team-oriented this year. I just really want us to make the playoffs, have a deep run and possibly win a World Series. My mindset is more on winning this year than individual accolades.”