Texas Rangers bring back Matt Bush on a minor league contract

The Texas Rangers have signed Matt Bush and three others to minor league contracts. Also included for all four are invites to spring training.

Well that didn’t take long. It was less than two weeks ago that the Texas Rangers non-tendered right-handed reliever Matt Bush, making him a free agent. Yesterday afternoon, Texas signed him to a minor league contract.

Even at the time of the non-tender, the Rangers made it clear that they would strongly consider resigning Bush. The problem was he underwent surgery on his right elbow in September and isn’t expected to return to MLB action until after the 2019 All-Star break. Seems like an opportune time to toss a minor league contract his way.

Bush struggled in limited action in 2018, posting a 4.70 ERA in 23 innings pitched. His strikeouts were down and his walks were up, but the point could certainly be made that some of his struggles attributed to his eventual injury.

Matt Bush is a great story in his own right and the Texas Rangers were privileged to give him the chance to revive his once promising professional baseball career. His troubled past was highly chronicled when he debuted with the Rangers in 2016, but it didn’t take long for his talent to outshine his past. In Bush’s debut season, he contributed 61.2 innings, a 2.48 ERA and a 7-3 record.

With things having gone so well with Bush and the Rangers, and with Texas being his only big league home, it makes great sense for the team to welcome him back. Surely the fans welcome him back with open arms as well.

In additional news from yesterday afternoon, the Texas Rangers also signed pitchers Zac Curtis and Tim Dillard to minor league deals, and utility infielder Chase d’Arnaud.

Like Bush, Curtis will return to the Rangers’ organization after being non-tendered just weeks ago. The left-handed reliever was extended an invite to spring training and he will fight for a roster spot within a very undetermined bullpen.

Dillard is 35 years old and is essentially a career minor leaguer. The righty reliever has just 75 major league appearances to his name since being drafted in 2002. He had spent his entire professional career as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers’ organization prior to his signing with Texas.

Lastly, d’Arnaud has had stints with multiple big league teams over the past eight years as a utility infielder. His most established season was 2016 with the Atlanta Braves when he played in 84 games and slashed .245/.317/.335. In 2018, he played in 42 games with the San Francisco Giants and hit .215 with three home runs. He will show up to spring training in hopes to be awarded a utility infield role with the Texas Rangers.