A's Agree to Terms with Billy Butler on a Three-Year Contract

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland A's agreed to terms with designated hitter/first baseman Billy Butler on a three-year contract through the 2017 season, the club announced today.

Butler spent the first eight seasons of his career with Kansas City, compiling a .295 batting average with 127 home runs and 628 RBI in 1166 games. He ranks third on the Royals career list in batting, sixth in doubles (276), RBI and walks (427), seventh in at bats (4317), hits (1273), home runs and extra base hits (407) and eighth in games played. The 28-year-old had his best season in 2012 when he hit .313 with 29 home runs and 107 RBI in 161 games. He was named to the American League All-Star team that year, won the AL Silver Slugger Award at designated hitter and was honored with the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. Butler had three straight seasons with 40 or more doubles from 2009-11, has topped 90 RBI three times in his career and batted .300 three times.

Butler batted .271 with nine home runs and 66 RBI in 151 games with the Royals last year. He hit .321 with four home runs in 137 at bats against left-handed pitching compared to .255 with five home runs in 412 at bats against right-handers. Butler had an .847 OPS against lefties compared to .653 against righties. He saw most of action at designated hitter, but also started 35 games at first base, his most since 2010. The right-handed hitter added a .262 average and eight RBI in 13 postseason games for the AL Champions.

The complete 2014 and career statistics for Butler follow: