Billy Butler had a second straight three-hit game Monday against the White Sox.

Butler has upped his average from .227 to .252 by going 6-for-9 the last two days. He's still stuck on one homer for the year, but things are looking up.

Billy Butler went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored versus the Orioles on Sunday.

Butler is hitting .268 with eight RBI in 17 games this month after finishing April at .224 with eight RBI in 26 games. So, it's an improvement. His fantasy value will remain limited until he starts hitting some homers again, but even baby steps are appreciated at this point.

Billy Butler's struggles continued in Friday's loss to the Orioles with an 0-for-4 performance.

Butler now has one hit in his last 16 plate appearances. The DH has not been able to get it going this season, only recently getting his OPS over .600. But Friday's performance drops it back down to .572. It goes without saying that Butler needs to pick it up sooner rather than later.

Billy Butler clubbed his first home run of the 2014 season in Friday's loss to the Tigers.

His homer, a line drive to left field off Rick Porcello in the fourth inning, was his lone hit in four at-bats on the night. He's hitting a paltry .236/.291/.302 with 11 RBI on the season and has been a big factor in the Royals early season struggles.

Billy Butler went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI, leading the Royals to a 5-0 victory over the Orioles.

Butler got the Royals on the board with an RBI single in the first inning and capped off the scoring with an RBI double in the ninth. While he's starting to show signs of life in recent days, he's still hitting just .207/.272/.244 with no homers and eight RBI on the year.

Shifted in the lineup yet again, Billy Butler went 0-for-4 as the Royals' No. 3 hitter in Thursday's loss.

To put it mildly, Ned Yost's latest attempt to juggle the lineup didn't have a quick payoff. Norichika Aoki, Eric Hosmer, Butler and Alex Gordon all went hitless from the top four spots in the lineup. Omar Infante, who had been batting second in between Aoki and Hosmer, went 1-for-3 and scored the team's lone run from the fifth spot. Butler's average tumbled back down to .196. He's still without a homer in 77 at-bats this year.

Billy Butler went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a run scored in Tuesday's win over the Indians.

Butler was ice cold to start the season, but has picked it up as of late, with three multi-hit games in his last four outings. If he keeps it up, it won't be too long until his OPS gets back over .600. He's at .538 now.

Reintroduced to the cleanup spot, Billy Butler went 0-for-4 in Monday's loss to the Indians.

It probably doesn't matter much; Salvador Perez, who was batting cleanup in Butler's place, went 0-for-4, too. Maybe the Royals really should bat Alcides Escobar fourth. OK, no, not really, but Butler has looked terrible and Perez is in quite a funk now, as well.

Billy Butler is expected to move back to the cleanup spot in the Royals lineup on Monday.

While Butler has struggled to the tune of .213/.286/.230 on the season, he does have three hits in seven at-bats since being demoted in the lineup, so the shakeup appears to have done some good. Salvador Perez has gone hitless in two games since the switch though and doesn't look comfortable in the fourth slot, which could be the reason for the switch back.

Dropped from the cleanup spot for the first time this season, Billy Butler went 1-for-3 with a walk Thursday against the Astros.

The move was overdue. It's not as if Butler was having a run-of-the-mill slump with his .149 average and no extra-base hits in 47 at-bats; his swing is so messed up that he hasn't been able to hit the ball in the air at all so far this season. The Royals should keep him in the lineup, for sure, but it's much better to give Salvador Perez a crack at the cleanup spot than to let Butler continue to kill rallies while's he's struggling.

Billy Butler went 2-for-4 with a run scored as the Athletics lost to the Royals 3-1.

Butler continues to hit, raising his Cactus League average to .375 in 32 at-bats. His power numbers declined last season but it was most likely an aberration.

Billy Butler went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored on Monday against the Mariners.

Butler has been swinging the bat well for the Royals in the Cactus League. Monday's effort boosted his spring average to .385. Last season, Butler posted a sub-.800 OPS for the first time since 2008, thanks to a noticeable loss of power, but should be able to make at least a partial recovery going forward.

Billy Butler will play more first base this season.

"I want to try to give him as much opportunity to play over there as I can," manager Ned Yost said Monday in Royals camp. Butler made only seven starts at first base in 2013. He made 150 starts at designated hitter. A little more time in the field should only boost his fantasy and free agent value.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore said on Tuesday that Billy Butler trade rumors are "just all Hot Stove rhetoric."

"It's not different than you hear other players throughout the league who are potentially going to be moved," Moore said. Butler, who is owed an $8 million salary in 2014 and and $12 million in 2015, slashed .289/.374/.412 with 15 homers and 82 RBI in 162 games this past summer for Kansas City. The 27-year-old designated hitter smacked 29 homers in 2012. "We think Billy has been a terrific hitter, and Billy is a terrific hitter," Moore said. "And he's going to continue to hit. That's what Billy does."

Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail reports that the Blue Jays have discussed a trade with the Royals involving Billy Butler.

Blair says Toronto would receive "prospects plus Butler," but the talks haven't "moved beyond the discussion stage." It's not clear what Kansas City would receive in the deal. With Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind already on the roster as first base/DH options, the Blue Jays seems likely to trade for Butler only if they can also deal Lind.

According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Mariners are among the teams with interest in Billy Butler.

It seems like the M's have been connected to every available hitter, so this may simply be a case of due diligence. ESPN's Buster Olney reported in October that the Royals are willing to trade Butler, who is owed $8 million in 2014 and $12 million in 2015. The 27-year-old designated hitter batted .289/.374/.412 with 15 home runs and 82 RBI in 162 games this past summer for Kansas City.

ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Royals are ready to listen to offers for Billy Butler.

The Royals would be selling somewhat low, as Butler only hit 15 homers this season after a career-high 29 in 2012. He's best suited as a DH, so the market could be limited, but the Royals figure to get some calls. Butler is still owed $8 million next season and $12 million in 2015.

Billy Butler went went 3-for-5 with a two-run double and a run scored Friday in a win over the White Sox.

Butler had two RBI over his previous 12 games combined. He hasn't homered since August 27.

Billy Butler went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in a win over the Twins on Tuesday.

Butler homered in his second straight game, giving him 14 on the year. The 27-year-old is red hot over his last five games, going 10-for-21 (.476) with four multi-hit games in that span. The streak has brought his season line up to .296/.388/.438.

Billy Butler went 2-for-4 and hit his 11th homer against the Marlins on Monday.

Butler has found his stroke, going 12-for-25 with two homers and four doubles in his last six games. His OPS is up to .809, the highest it's been since mid-May, and we'd expect it to keep climbing.