WEST SACRAMENTO – Lawrence Butler removed the elephant mask from his head and let out a huge sigh of relief inside the Athletics dugout. A few innings later, Luis Severino soaked in a standing ovation from the home fans as he made his way back to the clubhouse.
The A’s have patiently watched these two navigate through rough starts to their seasons. Despite that, the club has maintained its standing atop the American League West in first place. Long term, though, Butler – a dynamic speed and power threat on offense – and Severino – the rotation’s leader and No. 1 starter – are key players whose success is pivotal to the A’s playoff-aspirational goals for 2026.
That duo combined for the type of night on Wednesday that the A’s hope to see more often going forward. Butler emphatically broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning by crushing a slider from Michael Wacha to the berm in right field for a three-run homer at a Statcast–projected 404 feet. That blast provided more than enough support for Severino, who fired seven strong innings of one-run ball with a season-high eight strikeouts in a 5-2 win over the Royals at Sutter Health Park.
For Butler, who entered the day batting just .184, the homer was his third of the year and first since April 13. Severino, meanwhile, carried a 5.17 ERA through his first six starts of the season.