Lawrence Butler on Playing in Oakland: 'I Miss the Coliseum'

After signing an extension to stay with the A's through the 2031 campaign, Lawrence Butler recently told Chris Rose on Dugout Discussions that he doesn't feel he's played very well in 2025. He also admitted that with the contract came extra pressure.

Still, Butler has produced the first 20-20 season by an A's player since Coco Crisp in 2013, and just the 14th such year in A's franchise history.

Butler was also asked about any memorabilia that he got to keep from the Oakland Coliseum (a seat with the number four), and then said, "I miss playing at the Coliseum." This wasn't a question that was asked, but rather something he brought up on his own.

Butler on Playing at the Coliseum

"I miss the Coliseum though, man. Especially playing in Sacramento. I mean, the Coliseum just made you feel big league. Even though there may not have been a lot of people in there, it was cool. Just a big league field."

From there, Rose asked him how playing in Sacramento compares to playing on the road these days (the interview was conducted at Angel Stadium).

"You pull up to the stadium, and I mean, it's a Triple-A ballpark, so it ain't like some lavish entry parking garage like the Angels got." He went on to saw that the locker room is a bit on the smaller side, compared to what they were used to at the Coliseum, "but they did they best to try to make it comfortable for us."

He's a fan of the designs on the walls and everything they have, but the only gripe is that it's a little small.

Butler wasn't setting out to dunk on the A's or on Sacramento in this interview by any means, and that's not how it came off at all He was asked direct questions, and he gave honest, reasonable answers. If players were just saying that it's the best clubhouse they've ever been in, then nobody would buy it. Butler has always been authentic, and that's part of why A's fans love him.

Will A's be Able to Attract Free Agents?

The one worry here for the A's as the offseason approaches is how free agents will view playing in Sacramento after a year of games there. One the one hand, the A's are a team that should be in contention in 2026 after playing at an 86-win pace outside of an awful three-week stretch in May and June.

On the other hand, most of the teams in baseball have seen what Sutter Health Park is all about now. Some players have said they've enjoyed it, even comparing it favorably to the Tampa Bay Rays minor-league park. Others have has issues with the mound, or like Butler, the size of the clubhouses. If a player has multiple comparable offers on the table, how will those factors play into their decision?

In 2026, this will also be the only ballpark in the big leagues where the clubhouse isn't attached to the dugout, which could be another determining factor for some free agents.

On the bright side, the A's have had a number of young players break out and show promise this season, so they may not have to rely too heavily on adding via free agency. They may be more inclined to go the trade route instead.