Reports: Oakland signs DH Butler

Oakland Tribune

Filling a void for the right-handed power bat they lost when they traded outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, the A’s reportedly agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract with free agent designated hitter-first baseman Billy Butler on Tuesday.

Butler, 28, hit .271 with nine home runs and 66 RBIs as the primary DH for the American League champion Kansas City Royals in what was considered a down year offensively. Before 2014, Butler had six consecutive seasons of double-figure home run totals, including a high of 29 in 2012 which also included 107 RBIs. He made the All-Star team that year, and also won a Silver Slugger Award.

The deal, first reported by MLBRumors.com, was confirmed by ESPN’s Buster Olney. An A’s spokesman, contacted Tuesday night, would not confirm that the deal had been consummated, but it appears to be a formality.

Butler had a $12.5 million option on his prior contract with Kansas City, but even though he was an immensely popular player with Royals fans, the club elected to pay him a $1 million buyout rather than pick up the option, which made him a free agent.

The A’s suffered offensively after trading Cespedes for pitcher Jon Lester because their remaining lineup was predominately left-handed. Butler will surely bat in the middle of the lineup for Oakland and give them a consistent D.H. presence they have lacked the past few years. Sixteen different players started as the A’s DH last season, led by switch-hitter Alberto Callaspo with 34 and left-handed John Jaso with 32.