Matt Bush: I am very happy to return to Rangers' bullpen
Matt Bush is on board with the Texas Rangers' decision to move him back to the bullpen.
"I am very happy," Bush said on Monday. "I get to go back to doing what I know how to do. I feel like we have a great team this year, plenty of good starters and this is a role they need me to go back to."
Bush felt like he was given a fair opportunity to start by the organization, and didn't speculate on whether he'd want to start in the future.
Instead, the 32-year-old right-hander is ready to get back to work as a reliever. Bush has spent the past two seasons in the Rangers' bullpen. He made 57 appearances last season, posting a 3.78 ERA with 10 saves. In 2016, he made 58 appearances with a 2.48 ERA.
Bush had been under consideration to join the Rangers rotation. He’s made three Cactus League appearances, including two starts, and has posted a 5.40 ERA.
"Jeff Banister, Jon Daniels, the pitching coaches they know what they are doing," Bush said. "I just go with the flow. They made their decision on where they need me and that’s all. They know what they are doing and I feel it’s the right decision.”
Bush also had no issues with the Rangers not putting him in the mix to be the closer. It's a job he held last season before struggles on the mound forced them to go in another direction.
Bush said he feels comfortable and enjoys being the "bridge man," being a multi-inning option in the middle parts of the game.
"I love being the kind of bridge guy, multi-inning guy, all-around whatever, just comfortable there," Bush said. "It is pretty easy to have a good feeling of things. For me, it’s quite normal to go out and give it all I’ve got for a short period of time. It’s ingrained in me and it’s what I do well."
This story was originally published March 12, 2018 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Matt Bush: I am very happy to return to Rangers' bullpen."