The Rangers announced this afternoon that the club has selected the contract of right-hander Matt Bush. In corresponding moves, the club optioned left-hander Jake Latz to Triple-A and designated right-hander Alex Speas for assignment.
Bush, 37, was selected first overall by the Padres in the 2004 draft but didn’t make it to the majors until 2016 thanks to off-the-field issues. Bush’s rookie season with the Rangers was an impressive one, as the righty posted a 2.48 ERA in 61 2/3 innings of work. He’d go on to post a 3.34 ERA in 177 2/3 innings of work across five and a half years as a member of the Rangers organization before being traded to the Brewers at the 2022 trade deadline.
While Bush had a 2.95 ERA and a 29.8% strikeout rate at the time of the deal, his time in Milwaukee saw things take a turn for the worse. He posted a pedestrian 4.30 ERA the rest of the way with the Brewers in 2022 before struggling badly in 2023, allowing 11 runs in 10 1/3 innings of work before the Brewers ultimately released him in early July. Bush landed back in Texas on a minor league deal shortly thereafter and has been pitching in the Rangers’ minor league system ever since. Bush has posted strong numbers at the minor league level this season, with a 2.27 ERA in 35 2/3 innings of work between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Now, Bush will get a chance to pitch for the Rangers as they look to clinch their first postseason appearance since 2016.
Exiting the roster in favor of Bush is left-hander Jake Latz, who has posted 6 1/3 scoreless innings for the Rangers across three appearances since being called up earlier this month. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rangers DFA’d Speas, a 25-year-old rookie. The right-hander made his MLB debut back in July but struggled badly across three appearances, allowing three runs in two innings of work.
So, Chris Young finally woke up! It’s days too late, but Texas can still somehow win the division. See his recent MLB success and elite ERA/WHIP/K/BB rate at AA and AAA this year if you are skeptical based on this season’s short sample. I’d love to see Bush and Kelly succeed in the same bullpen. That would make up for that Lucroy and Jefress trade.
I’m not sure why AA and AAA results for a dude who is in his upper 30s and has an MLB track record would matter.
I’m not sure why under 11 innings one season would matter for someone who has thrown 211 career innings.
He’s had more below average seasons than above average seasons, so it has nothing to do with 11 innings pitched this year. Dude wasn’t even good last season, 2021, or 2018 and didn’t play in 2019 or 2020. He wouldn’t even get an MLB contract on the open market.
You are conveniently ignoring 2022, which was certainly above average. That’s stubborn cherrypicking. If you hate the guy for running over a guy with a car, fine, but he isn’t a bad pitcher. He wouldn’t get an MLB contract, but neither would/should half the Texas bullpen. I’m glad he can pitch instead of guys like Sborz, Latz (DFA’d), Jonathan Hernandez, Martin Perez, or Cody Bradford. When the team is underperforming their run differential by 6 or 7 games and has like 33 blowm saves, anything brings cause for optimism. 4th most runs in MLB with a Montgomery/Eovaldi/Dunning/Heaney + Scherzer and Gray sometime sounds exciting. Bush is just there so they have a lower chance of losing tomorrow and can clinch the division.
If he was in his upper 30’s with a 10 ERA in AAA you wouldn’t be acting like the stats don’t matter.
Sure I would because it should be expectated that an MLB-level player will play well in AA and AAA. A guy like Matt Bush should put up the numbers he has. All a good performance in AAA proves is that he deserves to hang around, but it doesn’t suggest he isn’t washed.
Great! Looking forward to him serving up a home run tonight.
LFG Mariners!!!
Well… Seattle could sweep Texas and still miss the playoffs.
Swing and a miss
Alex speas for assignment? I’m surprised.
Speas is a great pickup for a rebuilding club.
Doesn’t sound like Ranger fans are real happy
Seems like a BUSH move.
Only time will tell as to when he attempts to murder someone again. Human garbage.
Because reformation never happens and people never change…
Not the 1st Bush the Rangers have had associated with them
They also have a minor league guy with the last name Cheney.
Rezi- You say this every time there’s an article about him. He served his time. People make mistakes. I’m sure he lives with it everyday.
– runs over a man with a car and attempts to murder him while in a drunken rage –
“People make mistakes.”
Candidate for understatement of the year?
He feels shame.