ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers are bringing back reliever Matt Bush with a minor league contract as the right-hander recovers from elbow surgery.
Texas said Monday that it has agreed to minor league deals with Bush, pitchers Zac Curtis and Tim Dillard, and infielder Chase d’Arnaud. They will report to major league spring training.
Bush isn’t expected to be ready until the second half of the season after surgery in September to repair a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
The 32-year-old made the last of his 21 appearances for Texas last season on June 14. Bush had no record with a 4.70 ERA and became a free agent when the Rangers didn’t offer a contract by the Nov. 20 deadline.
The No. 1 overall pick as an infielder out of high school by San Diego in 2004, Bush finally made it to the big leagues as a hard-throwing reliever for the Rangers in 2016. He is 10-6 with a 3.35 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 137 innings over parts of three seasons.