Seven months ago, Matt Bush was in prison. He spent almost three of those years in prison for a DUI-related auto accident before being released from jail in October.
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Bush was viewed as a phenom coming out of San Diego’s Mission Bay High in 2004 and was the surprise No. 1 overall pick by the hometown Padres in a loaded draft that featured pitchers Jered Weaver and Justin Verlander and shortstop Stephen Drew. He was on the roster for Friday’s home game against Toronto.
Bush signed a minor-league deal with Texas in December, not long after completing a prison sentence stemming from a hit-and-run wreck during spring training in 2012 that seriously injured a 72-year-old motorcyclist. He began pitching in 2007, but tore a ligament in his elbow and missed all of 2008 after having Tommy John surgery.
Bush was in the bullpen Friday night seeking his major league debut in the Rangers’ series opener against the Blue Jays. He sat out the 2009 season before signing with the Rays organization in 2010 and spending two seasons in the minors.
Twelve years after being taken with the first overall pick in the Major League Baseball Draft, Bush was given the chance to shed the label as one of the sport’s all-time flops.
Now a relief pitcher who throws 98 miles per hour, Bush, 30, had a 2.65 earned run average for Frisco with 18 strikeouts and four walks in 17 innings.
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Bush fared well at the Double-A level with the Rangers, going 0-2 with a 2.65 ERA with five saves.
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Before this spring, he last played in the minors in 2011.
