Royals Decline to Exercise Club Option on DH/1B Billy Butler for 2015

KANSAS CITY, MO (November 1, 2014) - The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have declined to exercise the 2015 club option in designated hitter/first baseman Billy Butler's contract, making him a free agent.

Butler, 28, was an American League All-Star in 2012 and ranks third in club history with a .295 career batting average and is sixth in doubles (276) and RBI (628) and seventh in hits (1,273) and homers (128).