Butera has retired from professional baseball and will serve as the Angels' bullpen catcher this season, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Butera appeared in 12 games with the Halos in 2021 and will stick around the organization in the coaching ranks. The 38-year-old appeared in 553 games with five teams over his 12 years in the big leagues, and he had a .196/.252/.290 slash line with 19 home runs.
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Astros' Drew Butera: Joins Houston on MiLB deal
Rotowire
Butera signed a minor-league contract with the Astros on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Butera has been with Triple-A Salt Lake in the Angels organization, but he was released earlier in the day before signing with the Astros. Backup catcher Jason Castro (knee) recently landed on the injured list, so Butera should have a better chance of joining the big-league club with his new team.
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Angels' Drew Butera: Clears waivers
Rotowire
Butera cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday.
Butera was designated for assignment by the Angels on Saturday, and he'll remain in the organization going forward. He'll attempt to sort things out with the Triple-A club after he hit .094 with five RBI and 16 strikeouts in 12 major-league games this year.
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Angels' Drew Butera: Takes seat Friday
Rotowire
Butera isn't starting Friday's game against the Athletics.
Butera will be out of the lineup for a second straight game to begin the series. Kurt Suzuki will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
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Angels' Drew Butera: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Butera was designated for assignment by the Angels on Saturday.
Butera had been out of the lineup the last two games, and he'll now be removed from the 40-man roster after Kean Wong's contract was selected Saturday. Butera appeared in 12 games for the Angels during his time with the big-league club but hit just .094 with a double, five RBI, a run and 16 strikeouts.
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Angels' Drew Butera: Not starting Thursday
Rotowire
Butera isn't starting Thursday's game against Oakland.
Butera will retreat to the bench once again as he continues to alternate starts behind the plate. Kurt Suzuki will start at catcher and bat seventh.
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Angels' Drew Butera: Takes seat for matinee
Rotowire
Butera isn't starting Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Twins, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Butera will retreat to the bench for the fourth time in the last six games as he continues to split time with Kurt Suzuki behind the dish. Suzuki will start at catcher and bat sixth.
Butera will start at catcher and bat ninth Wednesday against the Astros.
Butera has seemed to emerge as the Angels' preferred option behind the plate since he was acquired from the Rangers on May 7. He'll be catching for the fourth time in six games while Kurt Suzuki resides on the bench. Opportunities will become more scarce for both Butera and Suzuki whenver No. 1 backstop Max Stassi (concussion) is reinstated from the 7-day injured list.
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Angels' Drew Butera: Sent to Angels
Rotowire
Butera was traded from the Rangers to the Angels on Friday in exchange for cash considerations.
Butera had been stuck as organizational depth in Texas. He may return to that role in Los Angeles soon, but he's needed on active roster for now with Max Stassi dealing with a concussion. He'll likely back up Kurt Suzuki until Stassi is ready to return. Jack Kruger, who's currently filling that role, was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
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Rangers' Drew Butera: Released and re-signed
Rotowire
Butera was released by the Rangers on Saturday and re-signed to a minor-league deal, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
Butera was in camp as a non-roster invitee but won't break camp with the team. He'll remain a part of the organization, however, and could get an opportunity should Jose Trevino or Jonah Heim get injured.
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Rangers' Drew Butera: Invited to camp by Texas
Rotowire
Butera joined the Rangers as a non-roster invitee Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
The 37-year-old backstop is nearing the end of a career spent mostly as a third-string option. He's hit below .200 in all but two of his 11 seasons, including a .154/.190/.205 line in 43 plate appearances for the Rockies last year. The Rangers presumably don't expect to pencil his name into the lineup on a regular basis this season.
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Rockies' Drew Butera: Clear No. 3 catcher
Rotowire
Butera is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Tony Wolters and Elias Diaz have drawn two starts apiece behind the plate over the Rockies' last four games, so Butera looks like the clear No. 3 catcher for Colorado. Butera has received 11 at-bats this season, recording one hit.
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Rockies' Drew Butera: Makes roster as third catcher
Rotowire
Butera will be on the Rockies' 30-man roster to begin the season, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Butera capped off an impressive spring and summer in the team's final exhibition game against the Rangers on Wednesday, going 2-for-3 with a home run, one double, four RBI and two runs. He was rewarded with a spot in the majors as Colorado's third catcher to begin the season. Playing time could be scarce behind Tony Wolters and Elias Diaz, but Butera proved during camp that he could be a valuable option to fill in if needed.
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Rockies' Drew Butera: Impressive in small spring sample
Rotowire
Butera and Elias Diaz were making an argument for the Rockies to break camp with three catchers due to their impressive spring performances, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
While Butera and Diaz are in camp on minor-league contracts, they outperformed Tony Wolters and Dom Nunez, who are on the 40-man roster. Butera hit .333 with two home runs, two walks and two strikeouts in 12 spring at-bats, although he played less than the other three. Wolters' spot as the primary catcher would seem to be safe, but Nunez, who hit .200 with six strikeouts in 15 spring at-bats, has minor-league options remaining, so he could open the year at Triple-A.
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Rockies' Drew Butera: Receives spring invite from Rockies
Rotowire
Butera signed a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to spring training with the Rockies on Wednesday, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports.
Butera served as a depth catcher for the Rockies last season and appeared in 10 games, and he'll now rejoin the organization. The 36-year-old has a .184/.257/.286 slash line in 77 games over the past two seasons, so he's unlikely to serve as more than organizational depth again in 2020.
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Rockies' Drew Butera: Granted September callup
Rotowire
Butera had his contract selected from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday.
Butera slashed .300/.389/.511 with nine home runs and 40 RBI over 67 games with the Isotopes this season, and he'll now get a chance to finish up the year in the majors.
Butera was assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday.
After passing through waivers unclaimed, Butera will join the Isotopes. He struggled to a .176 average with two doubles and a walk over seven games in the big leagues prior to being designated for assignment Friday.
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Rockies' Drew Butera: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Butera was designated for assignment by the Rockies on Friday.
Butera served as the team's backup catcher with Chris Iannetta (lat) on the injured list, but he's no longer needed with Iannetta back in action Friday. Butera went 3-for-17 at the plate during his time with the Rockies and isn't particularly likely to be claimed off waivers due to his career .201/.258/.299 slash line.
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Rockies' Drew Butera: Starting Saturday
Rotowire
Butera is catching and hitting eighth against the Phillies on Saturday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Tony Wolters started the last three games, so he'll get a breather Saturday, allowing Butera to slide in and make his second start of the season. The 35-year-old went 1-for-4 with a double in his last start on April 15 and should continue to serve as Wolters' backup until Chris Iannetta (lat strain) returns from the injured list.
