The Athletics are getting ready to begin their brief run in Sacramento this season. Whereas they fell woefully in need of the playoffs final season, they’ve some gamers giving the followers hope. One is Brent Rooker, who inked a $60 million extension this offseason. The Athletics are additionally engaged on a contract extension with outfielder Lawrence Butler, Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported.
“Hey, regardless of the group chooses to do, I’m pleased with it,” Butler mentioned, per Drellich. “I really like being right here. I’m excited to be right here. I’m excited to play right here. So, yeah, no touch upon that.”
Butler was despatched all the way down to the minors final Could after a tough spring with the Athletics. When he got here again in mid-June, he hit the bottom working. Within the remaining 84 video games of the season, he hit 20 homers, drove in 50 runs, and stole 15 bases with out getting caught. That may be a small pattern measurement to pay somebody off however the Athletics must construct a core.
Since 2020, the Athletics haven’t made the playoffs as they disassembled the core that had them within the playoffs within the late 2010s. With Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Marcus Semien, and different stars gone, they should construct that core again up. Butler and Rooker might be the constructing blocks for the long run.
The Athletics should hold Lawrence Butler round long run
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The Athletics do not must signal Butler this offseason. He turns into arbitration-eligible in 2027 and a free agent in 2030, which provides them loads of time to get the deal carried out. However groups just like the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves have locked up younger stars lengthy earlier than arbitration hits the desk. So getting Butler a long-term deal wouldn’t be exceptional and would arrange their group for the long run.
The Athletics additionally signed Luis Severino to a monster contract this offseason to be their ace. However their mini-spending spree solely began as a result of the MLB Participant’s Affiliation threatened to remove their income sharing. Since tearing down that 2010s core, they haven’t spent cash in free company. Now, they’re lastly a part of the MLB offseason once more.
If the Athletics can proceed to develop prospects like Butler and discover diamonds within the tough like Rooker, they could possibly be in playoff competition quickly. The AL West is weakening and the group has to get into competition to maintain followers earlier than their transfer to Vegas. Lawrence Butler’s extension is the following step in that journey.