Lawrence Butler Says Atlanta Braves Outfielder, Friend, is “Fat Now”
Athletics right fielder Lawrence Butler was recently interviewed for the Baseball is Dead Podcast, and in a clip shared on social media, he was asked about the rumors flying around about a race between Butler, and Atlanta Braves centerfielder Michael Harris II.
It should be noted that the two players are close friends, and they love to talk smack to one another for fun. Each player has also claimed victory in the alleged sprint over the course of spring training.
Butler, when asked who was the faster player, said, “Michael Harris is not fast. He’s actually fat now. Y’all aint seen him in a minute. He’s big. I see him every day. He’s getting bigger every year. The Braves need to put in some type of conditioning.
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“I don’t know if they do the conditioning test every spring or not. We do. That’s why all our players look good, and we ready for the spring. But Mike’s looking a little big. You need to slow down on those donuts.”
In the context of their friendship, and them being two young, talented outfielders in the big leagues, this is some pretty good ribbing.
As far as the numbers go on Baseball Savant, Butler has a sprint speed of 27.6 feet per second, which ranks in the 58th percentile in the league. Harris finished with 28.3 feet per second last season, ranking him in the 75th percentile. In a real race, those numbers are close enough that it could be anyone’s game.
The A’s and Braves play each other for one series in West Sacramento this season, from July 8-10. July 10 also happens to be Butler’s birthday, and he’ll spend it playing against one of his good friends. The A’s will also be handing out a bobblehead featuring Butler for that game.
Butler’s real goal for the year isn’t to just proclaim that he’s faster than Harris, but to actually end up in Atlanta for the 2025 All Star Game. After his breakout season in 2024, where he was one of the best hitters in baseball from July to the end of the season, it’s certainly a possibility if he keeps on hitting.
If he were to make the All Star team, Butler would make that trek to Atlanta less than a week after the Braves were in town. The A’s outfielder hails from Georgia, and this would be a huge milestone, not only in his career in reaching the game where the best of the best play, but to make it back to where he grew up, surrounded by friends and family.
