Sources -- Butler, Athletics agree to 7-year, $65.5M extension - ESPN

Outfielder Lawrence Butler and the Athletics are in agreement on a seven-year, $65.5 million contract extension that includes a club option, sources told ESPN on Thursday night, locking up a foundational talent who was one of the best players in baseball in the second half last year.

The deal, which is pending a physical, will keep 24-year-old Butler with the A's well past their planned move to Las Vegas in 2028. Earlier in the offseason, designated hitter Brent Rooker signed a five-year, $60 million extension as well, helping solidify a core the A's hope will lead them back into playoff contention.

Butler was a revelation last year, following a short stint in 2023 during which he struggled and a difficult start to the 2024 season that prompted a demotion to Triple A in mid-May. After he returned June 18, Butler batted .291/.330/.565 with 20 home runs and 15 stolen bases over 330 plate appearances.

Primarily a right fielder, Butler will receive a deal similar to the seven-year, $63.5 million contract given last year to then-22-year-old shortstop Ezequiel Tovar by the Colorado Rockies. The average annual value of Butler's deal is the second highest for a player with one-plus year of major league service, behind only Atlanta's contract with right-hander Spencer Strider.

The A's — who will play for the next three seasons in West Sacramento after a contentious 2024 in which they left Oakland, where they played for more than half a century — have spent the past four months spending unlike at any point in franchise history. Before this winter, their largest guarantee on a deal was $66 million given to Eric Chavez more than 20 years ago. In addition to the contracts for Butler and Rooker, the A's reset their franchise high with