Billy Butler
Designated Hitter · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2007-2016)
Billy Butler was a designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball from 2007 to 2016 for the Kansas City Royals, the Athletics, and the New York Yankees, a span of 10 seasons. In 1,414 career games, he hit .290 with 1,479 hits, 147 home runs, and 728 RBI. Billy Butler was an All-Star and a Silver Slugger. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 10,151.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Designated Hitter
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 260 lb
- MLB Debut
- 2007-05-01
- Last Game
- 2016-10-02
- Awards
- All-Star · Silver Slugger
Full name: Billy Ray Butler
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,414 | 5,105 | 592 | 1,479 | 322 | 5 | 147 | 728 | 5 | 500 | 840 | .290 | .354 | .441 | .795 | 10,151 |
Career AVG .290 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — +12.5% above league average.
Career OBP .354 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — +9.4% above league average.
Career SLG .441 vs. league average .407 across their career seasons — +8.4% above league average.
Career OPS .795 vs. league average .731 across their career seasons — +8.8% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | KCA | AL | 92 | 329 | 38 | 96 | 23 | 2 | 8 | 52 | 0 | 27 | 55 | .292 | .268 (+9%) | .335 (+3%) | .422 (+6%) | .758 (+5%) | 280.1 |
| 2008 | KCA | AL | 124 | 443 | 44 | 122 | 22 | 0 | 11 | 55 | 0 | 33 | 57 | .275 | .263 (+4%) | .333 (-3%) | .416 (-4%) | .749 (-3%) | -255.6 |
| 2009 | KCA | AL | 159 | 608 | 78 | 183 | 51 | 1 | 21 | 93 | 1 | 58 | 103 | .301 | .262 (+15%) | .332 (+9%) | .417 (+18%) | .750 (+14%) | 1718.9 |
| 2010 | KCA | AL | 158 | 595 | 77 | 189 | 45 | 0 | 15 | 78 | 0 | 69 | 78 | .318 | .257 (+23%) | .325 (+19%) | .402 (+16%) | .728 (+18%) | 2305.5 |
| 2011 | KCA | AL | 159 | 597 | 74 | 174 | 44 | 0 | 19 | 95 | 2 | 66 | 95 | .291 | .255 (+14%) | .320 (+13%) | .399 (+15%) | .719 (+14%) | 1788.4 |
| 2012 | KCA | AL | 161 | 614 | 72 | 192 | 32 | 1 | 29 | 107 | 2 | 54 | 111 | .313 | .254 (+23%) | .318 (+17%) | .405 (+26%) | .724 (+22%) | 2826.7 |
| 2013 | KCA | AL | 162 | 582 | 62 | 168 | 27 | 0 | 15 | 82 | 0 | 79 | 102 | .289 | .253 (+14%) | .317 (+18%) | .396 (+4%) | .714 (+10%) | 1527.5 |
| 2014 | KCA | AL | 151 | 549 | 57 | 149 | 32 | 0 | 9 | 66 | 0 | 41 | 96 | .271 | .251 (+8%) | .313 (+3%) | .386 (-2%) | .700 (avg) | 24.0 |
| 2015 | OAK | AL | 151 | 538 | 63 | 135 | 28 | 1 | 15 | 65 | 0 | 52 | 101 | .251 | .254 (-1%) | .316 (+2%) | .404 (-4%) | .721 (-1%) | -35.0 |
| 2016 | OAK | AL | 85 | 221 | 24 | 61 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 31 | 0 | 19 | 34 | .276 | .255 (+8%) | .321 (+3%) | .417 (-4%) | .738 (-1%) | -29.2 |
| 2016 | NYA | AL | 12 | 29 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | .345 | — | — | — | — | -29.2 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 1,414 | 5,105 | 592 | 1,479 | 322 | 5 | 147 | 728 | 5 | 500 | 840 | .290 | — | — | — | — | 10,122 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1414 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 709 | 2558 | 311 | 777 | 76 | 375 | .304 |
| Away | 705 | 2547 | 281 | 702 | 71 | 353 | .276 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-10-02 | NYY | BAL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-10-01 | NYY | BAL | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-09-26 | NYY | TOR | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-09-25 | NYY | TOR | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-09-24 | NYY | TOR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-09-23 | NYY | TOR | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2016-09-22 | NYY | TBR | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-09-20 | NYY | TBR | W | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-09-18 | NYY | BOS | L | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016-09-17 | NYY | BOS | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 426 | 410 | 3178 | 268 | 28 | 329 |
| OF | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | KCA | 1B | 13 | 11 | 79 | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| 2007 | KCA | OF | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | KCA | 1B | 34 | 33 | 233 | 9 | 2 | 27 |
| 2009 | KCA | 1B | 145 | 143 | 1141 | 92 | 10 | 123 |
| 2010 | KCA | 1B | 127 | 126 | 1002 | 96 | 6 | 101 |
| 2011 | KCA | 1B | 11 | 11 | 86 | 8 | 0 | 10 |
| 2012 | KCA | 1B | 20 | 20 | 147 | 15 | 3 | 18 |
| 2013 | KCA | 1B | 7 | 7 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2014 | KCA | 1B | 37 | 35 | 272 | 24 | 2 | 26 |
| 2015 | OAK | 1B | 7 | 7 | 49 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| 2016 | OAK | 1B | 22 | 14 | 97 | 7 | 2 | 8 |
| 2016 | NYA | 1B | 3 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 426 |
| Left Field | 6 |
| Designated Hitter | 926 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Player of the Week | Week of 2014-08-10 |
| 2012 | Outstanding DH Award | |
| 2012 | Player of the Week | Week of 2012-07-29 |
| 2012 | Silver Slugger | DH |
| 2011 | Hutch Award | |
| 2011 | Player of the Week | Week of 2011-07-31 |
| 2009 | Player of the Month | September |
| 2009 | Player of the Week | Week of 2009-08-09 |
| 2009 | Player of the Week | Week of 2009-09-13 |
| 2007 | Rookie of the Month | July |
Salary History
Billy Butler's recorded salaries total $48,122,667 over 9 seasons, 2008 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Butler's career ran from 2007 to 2016. No salary is recorded for 2007.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | OAK | AL | $11,666,667 |
| 2015 | OAK | AL | $6,666,000 |
| 2014 | KCA | AL | $8,000,000 |
| 2013 | KCA | AL | $8,500,000 |
| 2012 | KCA | AL | $8,500,000 |
| 2011 | KCA | AL | $3,500,000 |
| 2010 | KCA | AL | $470,000 |
| 2009 | KCA | AL | $421,000 |
| 2008 | KCA | AL | $399,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $48,122,667 | ||
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Billy Butler (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Billy Butler: the record in brief
According to the bio, Billy Butler debuted on May 1, 2007 and played a final game on October 2, 2016. The season rows list, in order, the Kansas City Royals (2007 through 2014), the Oakland Athletics (2015 to 2016), and the New York Yankees (2016). Butler, a designated hitter by primary position, batted and threw right-handed. The recorded size is 6 feet, 0 inches and 260 pounds. Butler was born on April 18, 1986, in Orange Park, FL, USA. On the record, Billy Butler was born Billy Ray Butler.
Butler's career batting table shows 1,414 games, 5,105 at bats and 1,479 hits, a .290 average; the totals also include 147 home runs and 728 runs batted in. Butler got on base at a .354 rate and slugged .441 (.795 OPS). Butler's .290 average ran 12.5% above the .258 that the league posted over the same seasons. By OPS the gap is 8.8% above league average (.795 against .731). 2012 was Butler's biggest home run year, with 29.
Frequently Asked Questions about Billy Butler
- What years did Billy Butler play?
- Billy Butler played in Major League Baseball from 2007 to 2016.
- Was Billy Butler a pitcher?
- No. Billy Butler was a position player (Designated Hitter).
- How many home runs did Billy Butler hit?
- Billy Butler hit 147 career home runs with 1,479 hits.
- What teams did Billy Butler play for?
- Billy Butler played for 3 teams: the Kansas City Royals (2007–2014), the Oakland Athletics (2015–2016), and the New York Yankees (2016).
- Did Billy Butler win an MVP award?
- No. Billy Butler did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Billy Butler win?
- Billy Butler won the Silver Slugger award (2012). He was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
- What were Billy Butler's career stats?
- In 1,414 games, Billy Butler had 1,479 hits, 147 home runs, 728 RBI, 592 runs, and 5 stolen bases, with a .290 batting average.
- How much did Billy Butler earn in his career?
- Billy Butler's recorded salaries total $48,122,667 over 9 seasons, 2008 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Butler's career ran from 2007 to 2016. No salary is recorded for 2007.
- What was Billy Butler's salary?
- Billy Butler's last recorded salary was $11,666,667, in 2016. His highest recorded salary was $11,666,667, in 2016, and his lowest was $399,000, in 2008. The Salary History table lists each season from 2008 to 2016.
- What position did Billy Butler play?
- Billy Butler played primarily as a designated hitter, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Billy Butler and how much did he weigh?
- Billy Butler was listed at 6 feet and 260 pounds.
- How many home runs did Billy Butler hit each season?
- Billy Butler's home runs by season: 8 in 2007, 11 in 2008, 21 in 2009, 15 in 2010, 19 in 2011, 29 in 2012, 15 in 2013, 9 in 2014, 15 in 2015, and 5 in 2016. His most in one season was 29, in 2012.
- What was Billy Butler's career batting average?
- Billy Butler batted .290 over his career, with 1,479 hits in 5,105 at bats.
- How many RBI did Billy Butler have?
- Billy Butler drove in 728 runs in his career.