RADIO
Matt Bush Could Get Save Opportunities
7 years agoTexas Rangers relief pitcher Matt Bush suffered an up-and-down campaign in his second season as a big leaguer. The former top prospect and converted infielder showed off a flamethrower fastball but struggled with command, managing a 3.78 ERA and 1.45 WHIP with 10 saves, 10 holds, and 5 blown saves while picking up 9.97 K/9 and 3.27 BB/9. Bush was a victim of the long ball in 2017, giving up 1.20 HR/9 which contributed to a FIP of 4.09 before AC joint surgery ended his year. While the metrics suggest that the 31-year old got a little lucky, only giving up a HR/FB of 10.3%, it’s worth remembering that Bush missed years of development due to personal issues and only has 3 full seasons of pitching under his belt. Bush is supremely talented and can hit triple-digits on the radar gun regularly. The Rangers are even considering stretching him out into a starter. He represents a true lottery ticket, but at the 359th overall pick, he’s a ticket that is worth buying. There are a lot of “ifs” with Matt Bush, but IF he is healthy, IF his command recovers, and IF he finds a role, Bush has the talent and tools to be an upper tier closer.
