Butler eyeing 20/20 season after extending hit streak to 22 games

CHICAGO -- Lawrence Butler wasted no time.

The A’s outfielder lined a single to right on the fourth pitch of Saturday night’s 7-6 loss to the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, off a four-seam fastball from Chicago starter Chris Flexen.

Butler’s knock extended his career-best hitting streak to 22 games, which matched Eric Byrnes (2003) for the fourth-longest streak in Oakland A’s history.

Before Andrew Benintendi’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning evened the series, Butler reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks. That included a free pass to lead off the ninth, kick-starting a three-run game-tying A’s rally.

Butler scored one of Oakland’s runs in the final inning.

“Lawrence is really locked in,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “He’s really having fun playing the game right now and leading this team as the leadoff guy. It’s fun to watch.”

Longest hitting streaks by Oakland A’s players

Jason Giambi, 25 games (May 12-June 23, 1997)
Miguel Tejada, 24 games (July 11-Aug. 4, 2002)
Carney Lansford, 24 games (July 27-Aug. 21, 1984)
Lawrence Butler, 22 games (Aug. 21, 2024-present)
Eric Byrnes, 22 games (May 8-June 1, 2003)

Butler was one month shy of his third birthday when Byrnes’ streak ended in 2003. Butler turned 2 years old during Tejada’s streak, and Giambi and Lansford’s both happened before he was born. Now 24, Butler is closing in on history.

“Those guys are Hall of Famers with the A's,” Butler said. “To be mentioned with those guys, that’s a huge deal.”

Butler has logged a .378/.417/.733 slash line during his streak. He’s gone 34-for-90 with eight doubles, eight homers and 15 RBIs. It’s one chapter to what has been a strong first full season in the Major Leagues.

In 114 games, Butler is slashing .272/.327/.516 with 23 doubles, 21 homers and 55 RBIs. He’s stolen 15 bases, putting a 20-20 campaign within his reach. The last A’s player to pull off that feat was Coco Crisp in 2013 (22 homers, 21 steals).

“That’s probably the only thing I think about right now, is just getting those five more bags,” a beaming Butler said of stealing 20 bases.

But Butler is not being reckless to get there. He’s a perfect 15-for-15 in stolen-bases attempts this season, after swiping second in the first inning on Saturday. The most stolen bases in Oakland Athletics history without a caught stealing is 16, set by Jimmy Sexton in 1982.

“I’m really just picking my spots. I’m not just out there running recklessly,” Butler said. “I'm choosing when to go. I'm doing a little research. [First-base coach] Bobby Crosby helps me out a lot with what the catchers are like, what the pitchers like to do.

“So I give a lot of credit to him, too.”

Butler pulled off a delayed steal on Saturday for No. 15. As Flexen threw JJ Bleday an 0-2 changeup for a ball, Butler side-shuffled off of first and took off as the pitch reached catcher Chuckie Robinson’s mitt. It seemingly caught Robinson by surprise.

Butler’s discipline also extends to his approach at the plate. He’s had a noticeable drop in his strikeout rate during his hitting streak.

Butler's strikeout totals

Before streak: 92 games, 81 strikeouts in 308 plate appearances (26.3 percent rate)
During streak: 22 games, 13 strikeouts in 96 plate appearances (13.5 percent rate)

“In the leadoff spot, I'm really just trying to put the ball in play,” Butler said. “Most leadoff hitters really don't strike out that much. I'm really just trying to put the ball in play, have good at-bats and get on base for my team.”

The A’s had a chance to take the lead in the ninth. Butler scored when White Sox third baseman Lenyn Sosa made a fielding error on a grounder hit by Shea Langeliers, who reached first as Bleday, who had walked, advanced to second. Both then moved up 90 feet on Seth Brown’s ensuing single.

Zack Gelof followed with another base hit, as part of his 3-for-4 night. Bleday scored, but left fielder Zach DeLoach threw out Langeliers at the plate. The play was confirmed after a review, which also determined that catcher Robinson did not block the plate after landing from his leap to snare DeLoach’s throw.

“During the ninth inning, we put together a good rally,” Kotsay said. “We ran ourselves kind of out of that inning by making an out at home with no outs. Outside of that, it’s a great effort by the offense to come back.

“Tonight, we were a little shorthanded in the ‘pen. Some guys did step up. [We] just couldn’t get it done.”