Butler is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Indians. Butler will close out the first half by sitting out of the lineup for the first time since June 27. He's yet to show any signs of rebounding from a poor 2014, carrying a .249/.315/.377 slash line into the break.

Butler went 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk, an RBI and a run Wednesday against the Rockies. The 29-year-old designated hitter has not done a whole lot of hitting this year, as even the four-game hitting streak he's on -- during which Butler's 7-for-13 with a homer, two doubles, a triple and three walks -- has his season OPS a point short of the .700 mark. Butler's had a few moments of glory this year, but overall has been best used in AL-only or very deep mixed formats.

Butler smashed his sixth home run as part of a 3-for-4 game with three runs scored and two RBI on Monday against Colorado. Butler's power has been steadily disappearing for a few seasons now, and his 2015 slugging percentage would be a career low at .366. Butler had just one home run and a .285 slugging percentage before entering Monday, so he needed the breakout game badly. He also doubled, giving him his first game with multiple extra-base hits all season.

Butler is out of the lineup Saturday against Kansas City. Butler will sit out against his former team on Saturday with the Royals putting righty Chris Young on the mound. Stephen Vogt, who was hit on the arm by a pitch Friday, will be Oakland's designated hitter for Saturday's tilt.

Butler is not in the lineup Sunday against the Angels. Butler will sit for the second straight game, but no word of an injury has yet surfaced. Consider it an extended break for the 29-year-old until further notice, as he should still be available off the bench if needed. Mark Canha will slot in as the DH in Sunday's contest.

Butler is out of the lineup Saturday against the Angels. Butler will take a seat Saturday with the Angels putting Jered Weaver on the hill. He has struggled against Weaver over the course of his career, going 6-for-37 (.162 AVG) with six strikeouts. Butler is eligible to pinch-hit if called upon Saturday, however.

Butler is out of the lineup Monday against the Padres. Butler is sitting out a second straight game after opening the month with a 6-for-39 (.154) showing that has included nine strikeouts. The Athletics' big-ticket free-agent signing hadn't exactly been hitting well in the two months prior, so it's possible manager Bob Melvin might be rethinking using Butler as an everyday player. Expect him to remain on the bench again Tuesday with no DH spot available in San Diego.

Butler is out of the lineup Sunday against the Angels. Butler finds himself on the bench for the second time in four days after striking out in four of his six at-bats during the first two games of the series. With a .244/.298/.339 line to go along with four homers and 29 RBI over 265 plate appearances, Butler has been a disappointment in the first season of his three-year, $30 million pact with the Athletics. Ben Zobrist will cover the DH spot while Butler sits to clear his head.

Butler was 0-for-2 with two walks on Saturday night, dropping his average on the season to .244. After a solid April where he hit .287 with three homers and an .802 OPS, Butler has struggled mightily. Since the start of May, Butler is hitting only .219 with one homer and a paltry .544 OPS over 155 at-bats. Butler continues to hit in the middle of the A's order for now, but if the struggles linger much longer, the A's will have to look to move him down in the order.

Butler is out of the lineup Thursday. The A's will opt to use Stephen Vogt at DH to give Butler a rare day off. Butler is slumping a bit, as his average has dipped from .264 to .250 over the past six games.