Rangers Sign Matt Bush

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

July 12, 2023

The Texas Rangers have obtained the services of an old friend, as they have signed right-hander Matt Bush. Bush will return to the Rangers on a minor league contract. This signing comes less than a year after he was traded from the Rangers to the Milwaukee Brewers, who released Bush last week. Now that the All-Star Break is in the rearview mirror, it seems that the Rangers are seeking more help for their bullpen. The bullpen has improved slightly, but they still have a lot of work to do according to Sport Relay’s latest edition of Reliever Roundup and Bullpen Bonanza Rankings.

Getting the Help They Need

Matt Bush is the second reliever the Rangers have obtained in the last month. They acquired left-hander Aroldis Chapman in a trade with the Kansas City Royals on June 30. They are hoping the addition of Bush will add some depth. The Full Circle Sports Management client has been assigned to Double-A Frisco for the time being. Traded from the Rangers to the Brewers in exchange for utilityman Mark Mathias and lefty Antoine Kelly late last July, Bush never quite found his footing in Milwaukee.

At the time of the deal, he boasted a 2.95 ERA (2.77 SIERA). He had a 29.8% strikeout rate and 6.6% walk rate in 36 2/3 innings. Matt Bush’s strikeout rate actually improved a slight bit down the stretch in Milwaukee, but his walk rate crept up two percentage points as well. Most problematically, he became quite susceptible to home runs, yielding six long balls in 23 innings down the stretch.

Matt Bush’s Time with the Brewers

Bush still posted a serviceable 4.30 ERA with the Brewers. His strong strikeout/walk numbers were enough for the team to tender him a contract. The two parties agreed to a $1.85 million salary for the current season. Bush took a step back, however, in nearly every notable category. After averaging 97.4 mph on his fastball in 2022, the right-hander sat at 94.8 mph in limited work with the Brewers this season. That’s perhaps attributable to tendinitis in his right rotator cuff. That ailment sent him to the injured list for nearly two months, but whatever the reason, the results were grim.

In 12 appearances this year, Bush pitched 10 1/3 innings while allowing 11 runs on 11 hits and five walks. Five of those 11 knocks were homers. Bush’s strikeout rate plummeted nearly 10 percentage points (from 30.3% to 20.8%) while his walk rate spiked more than five percentage points (from 7.4% to 12.5%). He also gave up a run in five of the twelve appearances, a scoreless rate of 58.3%, nearly 11 percentage points below the NL average. In addition, his WHIP skyrocketed from 1.022 in 2022 (both teams combined) to 1.645 in 2023. This is nearly 300 points higher than the NL average of 1.337.

His Previous Tenure in Arlington

Bush regularly worked in high-leverage spots with the Rangers from 2016-22. He totaled 177 2/3 innings with a 3.34 ERA, a 24.8% strikeout rate, 7.6% walk rate, 46 holds, and 12 saves in that time. He won’t be viewed as any kind of definitive solution for the Rangers. They’ll presumably remain in the market for relief upgrades even after acquiring Chapman, but Bush could be a second-half option if he can get back on track in the minors.