Billy Butler, let go by the A’s on Sunday, is joining the Yankees, the designated hitter confirmed to The Chronicle on Wednesday evening.
Oakland signed Butler to a three-year, $30 million deal before the 2015 season but he never put up the types of numbers he did much of his eight-year career with Kansas City, and the A’s cut him loose with a year remaining on his deal. Oakland remains responsible for all of the remaining $11.1 million left, minus the pro-rated major-league minimum whenever he is employed by another club.
That means that the Yankees’ agreement with Butler will save the A’s about $56,000 of his remaining $1.