Rich Butler
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1997-1999)
Rich Butler was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1997 to 1999 for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays, a span of 3 seasons. In 86 career games, he hit .223 with 56 hits, 7 home runs, and 22 RBI.
- 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 180 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1997-09-06
- Last Game
- 1999-08-04
Full name: Richard Dwight Butler
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | 251 | 30 | 56 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 4 | 19 | 44 | .223 | .280 | .351 | .631 | -584 |
Career AVG .223 vs. league average .268 across their career seasons — 16.8% below league average.
Career OBP .280 vs. league average .339 across their career seasons — 17.4% below league average.
Career SLG .351 vs. league average .425 across their career seasons — 17.4% below league average.
Career OPS .631 vs. league average .763 across their career seasons — 17.4% below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | TOR | AL | 7 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .286 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1998 | TBA | AL | 72 | 217 | 25 | 49 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 4 | 15 | 37 | .226 | .266 (-15%) | .335 (-17%) | .420 (-13%) | .755 (-15%) | -583.5 |
| 1999 | TBA | AL | 7 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .150 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 3 seasons | 86 | 251 | 30 | 56 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 4 | 19 | 44 | .223 | — | — | — | — | -584 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (86 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 47 | 139 | 21 | 32 | 6 | 16 | .230 |
| Away | 39 | 112 | 9 | 24 | 1 | 6 | .214 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-08-04 | TBR | SEA | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1999-08-03 | TBR | SEA | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-07-30 | TBR | OAK | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-07-25 | TBR | TEX | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1999-07-24 | TBR | TEX | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-07-23 | TBR | TEX | L | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-07-22 | TBR | NYY | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998-09-27 | TBR | NYY | L | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-09-26 | TBR | NYY | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998-09-25 | TBR | NYY | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 44 |
| Right Field | 26 |
| Designated Hitter | 1 |
Salary History
Rich Butler's recorded salaries total $385,000 over 2 seasons, 1998 to 1999. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Butler's career ran from 1997 to 1999. No salary is recorded for 1997.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | TBA | AL | $215,000 |
| 1998 | TBA | AL | $170,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $385,000 | ||
Rich Butler: the record in brief
September 6, 1997 and August 4, 1999 bracket Rich Butler's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. The team column moves through the Toronto Blue Jays (1997) and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998 through 1999). Butler played primarily as an outfielder and batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Born on May 1, 1973, in Toronto, ON, CAN, Butler was listed at 180 pounds on a 6-foot-1 frame. The bio lists the given name Richard Dwight.
Butler's career batting table shows 86 games, 251 at bats and 56 hits, a .223 average, plus 7 homers and 22 RBI. Butler got on base at a .280 rate and slugged .351 (.631 OPS). Butler's .223 average ran 16.8% below the .268 that the league posted over the same seasons. The OPS comparison is .631 to a league .763, 17.4% below average. The hits column peaks at 49, in 1998. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .226 in 1998, did not top the league's .266.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rich Butler
- What years did Rich Butler play?
- Rich Butler played in Major League Baseball from 1997 to 1999.
- Was Rich Butler a pitcher?
- No. Rich Butler was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Rich Butler hit?
- Rich Butler hit 7 career home runs with 56 hits.
- What teams did Rich Butler play for?
- Rich Butler played for 2 teams: the Toronto Blue Jays (1997) and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–1999).
- What were Rich Butler's career stats?
- In 86 games, Rich Butler had 56 hits, 7 home runs, 22 RBI, 30 runs, and 4 stolen bases, with a .223 batting average.
- How much did Rich Butler earn in his career?
- Rich Butler's recorded salaries total $385,000 over 2 seasons, 1998 to 1999. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Butler's career ran from 1997 to 1999. No salary is recorded for 1997.
- What was Rich Butler's salary?
- Rich Butler's last recorded salary was $215,000, in 1999. His highest recorded salary was $215,000, in 1999, and his lowest was $170,000, in 1998. The Salary History table lists each season from 1998 to 1999.
- What position did Rich Butler play?
- Rich Butler played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Rich Butler and how much did he weigh?
- Rich Butler was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 180 pounds.
- How many home runs did Rich Butler hit each season?
- Rich Butler's home runs by season: 0 in 1997, 7 in 1998, and 0 in 1999. His most in one season was 7, in 1998.
- What was Rich Butler's career batting average?
- Rich Butler batted .223 over his career, with 56 hits in 251 at bats.
- How many RBI did Rich Butler have?
- Rich Butler drove in 22 runs in his career.
- Is Rich Butler in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Rich Butler has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.