Rangers corner outfielder/designated hitter Willie Calhoun began a minor league rehab assignment this evening, the team announced. He has been assigned to the club’s Arizona Complex League affiliate.
Calhoun hasn’t played since June 26, when he suffered a forearm fracture after being hit by a Kris Bubic pitch. The injury ultimately required surgical repair, which looked at the time as if it could threaten the remainder of his season. It now seems Calhoun is likely to make it back for the season’s final couple weeks. Position players can spend up to twenty days on a rehab assignment.
The forearm fracture was only the latest in a long line of health woes for Calhoun, who was also hit in the face with a pitch during Spring Training in 2020 and has dealt with a few leg issues. The injuries have perhaps impacted Calhoun’s productivity, as the former top prospect has underperformed over the last two seasons. After a 2019 season in which he hit .269/.323/.524 and looked to be emerging as one of the game’s better young bats, the lefty-hitting Calhoun has stumbled to a .233/.293/.344 mark in 334 plate appearances going back to the beginning of 2020.
The 48-88 Rangers have long been simply playing out the stretch, so the season’s final few weeks aren’t of much importance from a team perspective. But getting back onto the field and logging some at-bats could be meaningful for Calhoun as he looks to put his past couple years behind him. The 26-year-old is eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason, and he remains under team control through the end of 2024.
In other injury news, Levi Weaver of the Athletic reports (Twitter link) that reliever Matt Bush has begun throwing at the Rangers’ complex in Arizona. It seems unlikely he’ll have sufficient time to build his way back up to big league readiness before the end of the season, but Weaver adds that the hope is for Bush to log some minor league action over the next few weeks.
The 35-year-old Bush made just three appearances in the first week of April before landing on the injured list with elbow inflammation and a flexor strain. That came after the righty missed all of the 2019 and 2020 seasons with elbow injuries that eventually culminated in a Tommy John surgery. Even getting into a few minor league games before the end of the year would be a positive development if Bush is looking to make another run in 2022.
Texas could bring Bush back next season via arbitration for very little financial cost, although doing so would require keeping him on the 40-man roster all offseason. After three consecutive lost years, he seems likelier to be non-tendered and potentially brought back on a minor league deal.
Matt Bush. Haven’t heard that name in awhile. Guy has quite the story. I wonder if his fast ball will be upper 90’s again after TJS (2 times now)? I wish him the best of luck.
I know his story too and can’t bring myself to wish him luck. He’s an awful person and shouldn’t be allowed in Major League Baseball.
This is the same league that employs Obudell Herrera, Aroldis Chapman, etc. I can’t expect the MLB to care about players’ character. Also, Go Guardians
I find the “he/they haven’t been punished enough” to be a prevalent theme here, @tribepride. Just read any Astros thread, for example.
As a kid, Matt Bush made a terrible – yet not uncommon – mistake. As a result, something truly tragic & horrible occured. At this point, however, law & society have decided he’s paid his debt. It wasn’t exactly a slap on the wrist either.
I am genuinely curious why you feel his punishment, degradation, & shame should continue. Is it this specific case? Something personal? Or do you generally feel most/all punishments to be lacking in substance?
Again: genuinely curious as I see it quite a bit differently.
Reading the story of him trying out for the Rangers in the parking lot at Golden Corral when he was at rock bottom earned some respect from me
I’m right there with you Ducky…whether any of us agree or disagree, he paid his debt to society and it cost him dearly…the victim has come out and forgave him as well…what more can Matt do to earn your respect? Just curious whether this is just with him or any other players who’ve been in trouble with the law? Tony LaRussa has a drinking problem yet he’s managing again, is that a bad thing too?
That’s Matt “F-n’” Bush
“C’mon, Willie!”
He might have more career rehab at bats than mlb at bats.