Billy Butler will not start any of the three games during this weekend's series against the Mets.

The Royals are losing the designated hitter, and with Eric Hosmer sporting a red-hot bat, Butler will be limited to pinch-hitting duties. It will also give the DH a chance to rest his nagging neck ailment.

Billy Butler has been playing through neck stiffness.

Butler isn't sure how he suffered the injury. "I can't really tell you anything. It's not from anything, it's just not moving very well," Butler said. The DH added that he "couldn't quite get turned to the pitcher (Tuesday) night. It's not feeling very good." Despite not being 100 percent, Butler plans to continue playing through the ailment.

Billy Butler homered and doubled against the Orioles on Thursday.

Butler is 9-for-26 since the break. His homer tonight was just his third at home this season. He's hit six away from Kauffman Stadium.

Billy Butler, who opened July in a 3-for-24 slump, homered and walked Monday against the Yankees.

Butler hit .323 in June, but that came with just one homer. He's going to go on a real tear at some point and boost those power numbers. Right now, he's sitting at seven homers after finishing with 29 last year.

Billy Butler led the Royals' offensive attack, going 2-for-4 with three RBI in Friday's 7-2 victory over the Rays.

Butler got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first inning. He then tacked on a sacrifice fly in the fifth and capped off the offensive onslaught with an RBI single in the ninth. With the two-hit attack, he's now hitting .277/.383/.405 on the season with five homers and 37 RBI.

Billy Butler delivered a go-ahead double in the eighth inning Friday as part of a 4-2 win over the Astros.

He actually had two doubles on the night. Butler now has three straight multi-hit games and has driven in one run in each of them. He had just two hits over his previous six games behind. While it's been a struggle for him so far this season, we're expecting better days ahead.

Billy Butler followed up Monday's 5-for-5 game by collecting a solo homer and an RBI double Tuesday against the Angels.

Of course, Butler is hot now, and he's capable of staying that way for a while. But there's also been a subtle change recently that's given him a little more fantasy value. Now that Jarrod Dyson is starting in center field, he can't well pinch-run for Butler in the late innings of games. Last year, Butler was driven in just 43 times all season, a ridiculously low total for a No. 3-No. 4 hitter. He'll never be a big asset in that category, but he will score a few more times this year if he's not run for so often.

Billy Butler abused the Angels on Monday, going 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles, five RBI and two runs scored in an 11-4 win.

A welcome sign for his owners, whom Butler had frustrated to the tune of a .228 average and only four homers entering Monday's game. His monster contest raised his average by 33 points, from .228 to .261, and pulled Butler out of a 2-for-23 valley.

Billy Butler swatted his fourth homer of the year but it wasn't enough to overcome the Yankees on Saturday.

The solo shot off Andy Pettitte in the fourth inning was Butler's only hit in four at-bats. He's off to a bit of a slow start this season, now batting .236/.361/.391 with four homers and 20 RBI through 33 games. A career .298/.362/.464 hitter, he should come alive soon.

Billy Butler went 3-for-5 Wednesday in the Royals' 9-8 victory over the Rays.

Butler got off to a slow start but has been heating up in recent weeks, batting .361 (13-for-36) in his past 10 games. His power stroke is still missing -- he's hit just three home runs through 25 games -- but that will come with time, too. In his prime and with a good lineup around him, Butler is still a must-start in all formats.

Billy Butler drove in seven runs Sunday as the Royals topped the Phillies by a score of 9-8.

Butler was a monster, smashing a grand slam in the fifth inning and a two-run single in the sixth. He also drove in a run on a groundout in the third. The 26-year-old is poised to do big things all year at the plate.

Royals manager Ned Yost said Thursday that Billy Butler will be in the lineup for all three games of the weekend series in Philadelphia.

The Royals are losing the DH, but Butler will slide into the lineup at first base. Eric Hosmer could play right field, though with the Phillies starting a pair of left-handers in John Lannan and Cole Hamels, he might be on the bench a couple days.

Billy Butler hit his second home run of the spring in Saturday's 11-10 win over the Diamondbacks.

Butler also scored two runs on the afternoon. The big designated hitter will occupy the middle of the Royals lineup in 2013.

Billy Butler went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in Monday's 16-4 blowout win over the Diamondbacks.

Butler had an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning and a two-run double in the fourth. Fresh off a year in which he established new career-highs with 29 home runs and 107 RBI, the 26-year-old should be considered a top-10 fantasy first baseman.

ESPN's Jerry Crasnick was told by two sources that speculation involving Billy Butler-to-the-Mariners has been "significantly overblown."

We heard Monday that the Mariners had recent talks on Butler, but it's hard to see the two clubs as a good match, as the Royals would prefer to get a difference-maker in return as opposed to prospects. Butler batted .313/.373/.510 with a career-high 29 home runs and 107 RBI in 2012 and will make $8 million in each of the next two seasons. It would take a lot to pry him away.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com hears that the Mariners have had "recent talks" with the Royals about Billy Butler.

It backs up a report from last month that the M's "covet" Butler. However, the Royals have designs on competing for a playoff spot as soon as 2013, so it would take a lot to pry their best hitter away from them. The Orioles are also reportedly interested in Butler, who batted .313/.373/.510 with a career-high 29 home runs and 107 RBI in 2012.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports was told that the Mariners "covet" Royals designated hitter Billy Butler.

And they might be willing to part with one of their top-end pitching prospects to acquire him. But the Royals are hoping to compete within the next couple of years, and probably won't want to dent an already unreliable offense. Butler hit .313/.373/.510 with 29 home runs and 107 RBI in 161 games this past season for Kansas City.

Billy Butler smashed a two-run homer, his 29th of the season, in a losing effort against the Indians on Friday.

Butler finished the night 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and two RBI. His two-run blast off David Huff in the sixth inning was a no-doubter into deep left field. He has really grown into his power this season, hitting a tremendous .315/.372/.516 with 29 bombs and 106 RBI.

Billy Butler had three hits and drove in a run on Saturday, helping the Royals to a 5-2 win over the Indians.

Butler's RBI single off Ubaldo Jimenez in the first inning gave the Royals an early 2-0 lead and gave Butler 100 RBI for the first time in his MLB career. The 26-year-old has broken out in a big way this season, hitting an impressive .312/.372/.508 with a career-best 27 homers and 100 RBI.

Billy Butler was ejected from Thursday's game against the Royals in the top of the 10th inning for arguing balls and strikes.

Butler was tossed by home plate umpire Mike Estabrook in the middle of an at-bat. He finished the night 2-for-5 with an RBI double.