Athletics' Lawrence Butler: Spring debut will be delayed

Butler will be held out of Cactus League action until mid-spring as he works his way back from offseason knee surgery, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Butler underwent surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon in his right knee last October and was also given a platelet-rich plasma injection to address tendinitis in his left knee. He is in the final stages of his rehab and is fully expected to be ready to go on Opening Day, but the Athletics will ease him into game action this spring. Butler posted a disappointing .234/.306/.404 batting line in 2025 while playing through knee problems for a chunk of the season.