Rangers sign Matt Bush to minor league deal

The Texas Rangers have signed Matt Bush to a minor league deal.

This is not a terribly surprising move. Bush was released by the Milwaukee Brewers on July 3, and I figured it was just a matter of time before Texas re-signed him to a minor league deal.

This is the fourth time the Rangers have signed Bush, though he has been with the Rangers pretty much continuously since December, 2015, when they first signed him as a free agent after watching him throw in a Golden Corral parking lot. He became a free agent after both the 2018 and 2019 seasons, but re-signed with Texas both times.

Bush was traded at the deadline last year to the Milwaukee Brewers for Mark Mathias and Antoine Kelly, in what was a mildly surprising move. Bush had put up a 2.95 ERA and a 3.41 FIP for Texas in 40 appearances pre-trade. After the deal, he had a 4.30 ERA and 5.16 FIP in 25 games for Milwaukee in 2022, and then registered a 9.58 ERA and 9.35 FIP in 12 appearances this year, prior to Milwaukee cutting him loose.

Bush has struggled to stay healthy during his career. When he has been healthy he has generally been a fairly good reliever, though prone to the long ball. I’m guessing the Rangers will send him to Frisco and see if having him in more familiar environs will make a difference.

UPDATE — Evan Grant says Bush will be assigned to Frisco.