Matthew Brian Bush born February 8, is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He was traded by the Padres to the Toronto Blue Jays in , but was released by the Blue Jays without ever playing for them. He then played in the Tampa Bay Rays organization before being released in after a drunk driving incident.
He pleaded no contest to charges related to that incident in December , and was sentenced to 51 months in state prison. He served 39 months, and signed with the Texas Rangers after his October release from prison. He returned to play in an April game with the Rangers' Double-A affiliate, leading to his call up, and first MLB pitch, in the aforementioned May 13 game. He played shortstop , where his defense and arm strength made him a top major league prospect. He had a.
Bush had a 5β1 winβloss record with two saves and a 0. He also played soccer and ran track in high school. However, both were represented by Scott Boras , who was known for demanding hefty bonuses for his clients.
Padres owner John Moores was unwilling to meet those demands, so he selected Bush. Bush's professional career began with his suspension before he ever took the field, for his role in a fight outside an Arizona bar.
In the season, Bush hit. During spring training in , he broke his ankle and missed half the season. Bush struggled again in , hitting for a. The Padres then converted Bush to a pitcher. After a promising start in rookie league, Bush tore a ligament in his pitching elbow in August , ending his season.
