May 13, 2016: Matt Bush makes long-awaited major-league debut as Blue Jays defeat Rangers, 5-0

Less than seven months after being released from prison, and three months after his 30th birthday, Matt Bush was headed to the major leagues.

On Friday, May 13, 2016, before opening a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Park in Arlington, the Texas Rangers purchased Bush’s contract from Double-A Frisco, completing an improbable journey.1

“It’s a miracle I’m here,” Bush said. Selected first overall by the San Diego Padres in the 2004 amateur draft, Bush entered professional baseball as a highly touted shortstop,2 but a long struggle with alcohol addiction derailed both his career and personal life.3

On March 22, 2012, Bush was involved in a drunk-driving accident in Florida that left a motorcyclist with life-threatening injuries. He was sentenced to prison and released on October 31, 2015. After his release, Bush was assigned to a halfway house in Jacksonville and worked at a Golden Corral restaurant earning $8.05 per hour. One of his first visitors was former minor-league manager Roy Silver.4 Silver contacted the Rangers, who dispatched a local scout. Using a yellow parking stopper as a pitching rubber, Bush’s first two pitches in the Golden Corral parking lot registered at 93 and 95 mph. “Everything kind of changed after that,” Silver recalled.5

Impressed by what they saw, the Rangers signed Bush to a minor-league contract on December 18, 2015. They did not expect him to reach the major leagues so quickly, but he began changing minds during spring training in 2016. In his first outing, Bush’s first three pitches registered at 96, 97, and 97 mph as he retired the side on 10 pitches, nine for strikes.6 “From Day 1, his stuff has been major-league ready,” said general manager Jon Daniels.7

After finishing with the American League’s worst record two years earlier, Texas entered 2016 coming off a surprising 2015 American League West Division title. Their 2015 season ended in disappointment, however, when they lost to the Blue Jays in the AL Division Series. By Friday’s series opener, the ’16 Rangers were 20-15, a season-high five games above .500. They had rebounded from dropping three of four to the Blue Jays earlier in the month by winning five of their last six, including four come-from-behind victories.

Toronto arrived in Arlington with an 18-18 record. The Blue Jays’ slow start was unexpected after they led the majors in 2015 in OPS (.797) and finished second in batting average (.269). Still, Toronto’s pitching staff had the AL’s third-best team ERA going into their series with Texas.89

The Rangers gave the ball to Martín Pérez, who was making his eighth start of the season. Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2007, Pérez had spent his entire professional career in Texas. So far in 2016, the 25-year-old lefty was 1-2 with a 3.51 ERA. He was coming off back-to-back strong starts, including five scoreless innings against Toronto 10 days earlier.

Pérez encountered little trouble in the top of the first inning. After allowing a leadoff single to Kevin Pillar, he struck out Josh Donaldson before inducing José Bautista to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Bautista’s first plate appearance gave Rangers fans their first chance to voice their displeasure over his infamous bat flip after his decisive home run in Game Five of the 2015 AL Division Series.10 Loud boos greeted Bautista during pregame introductions and during each of his at bats.11

Opposing Pérez was right-hander R.A. Dickey, who was facing the organization that selected him in the first round of the 1996 amateur draft.12 Although Toronto’s rotation had overall been a strength, Dickey entered the game 1-4 with a 5.18 ERA and winless in his previous six starts. On this night, however, the 41-year-old knuckleballer looked more like the National League Cy Young Award winner he had been four years earlier.13

Rougned Odor’s leadoff bunt single gave Texas an early baserunner in the first, but it proved to be a false start. Dickey picked off Odor before retiring the next two hitters, setting the tone for the rest of his outing.

Pérez and Dickey matched each other through the first five innings as a pitchers duel unfolded. Toronto put at least one runner aboard in every inning except the third but failed to deliver a timely hit. Dickey, meanwhile, allowed a one-out single to Adrián Beltré in the fourth, which proved to be the last baserunner he allowed.

Toronto broke through in the sixth. With one out and Bautista on first, Edwin Encarnación hit what appeared to be a double-play ball, but shortstop Elvis Andrus misplayed it for an error, putting runners on first and second. Justin Smoak walked to load the bases before Troy Tulowitzki’s RBI fielder’s choice made it 1-0.

Smoak, another former Rangers first-round pick, became Toronto’s everyday first baseman following Chris Colabello’s 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.14 Entering the game, he was batting .297 with a .430 on-base percentage. He reached base in all four plate appearances against his former club.15

Holding a 1-0 lead, Toronto added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Darwin Barney opened the frame with a single to left and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt to Pérez. That marked the end of Pérez’s outing.16 Texas turned to Sam Dyson, who had made his major-league debut with Toronto in 2012. With Barney on third and Donaldson at the plate, Dyson uncorked a wild pitch that sent Donaldson sprawling, allowing Barney to score easily. Toronto led 2-0.

The Blue Jays extended their lead to 5-0 in the eighth. After Tom Wilhelmsen retired Bautista on a pop-up to begin the inning, Encarnación connected for a solo home run, his fourth of the month.17 Smoak followed with a double before Tulowitzki homered to left, the 200th home run of his major-league career.18

Andrew Faulkner replaced Wilhelmsen following Tulowitzki’s blast. Although Faulkner surrendered a single to Michael Saunders, uncorked a wild pitch, and walked catcher Josh Thole, he escaped the inning without further damage.19

Dickey retired the side one-two-three in the eighth for the fourth consecutive inning, bringing his evening to a close. He allowed three hits, struck out six, and threw 74 of 111 pitches for strikes. Texas managed just one at-bat with a runner in scoring position.20 The outing marked Toronto’s 27th quality start of the season and extended the Blue Jays’ streak of starts of at least six innings to 17 games.21

Although the outcome appeared decided, the ninth inning provided the evening’s most memorable moment. With the heart of Toronto’s lineup due up, Rangers manager Jeff Banister summoned Bush to make his major-league debut. Needing just 17 pitches, Bush struck out Donaldson, induced Bautista to pop out to second, and got Encarnación to foul out to first. Ten of Bush’s 17 pitches were clocked at 96 mph or faster, including eight at 97 mph.22

Bush was met with an enthusiastic reception as he returned to the dugout. “Everyone’s giving me high-fives, and Banister looking me straight in the eye and telling me I did a great job and he was proud of me,” Bush said. “It’s an amazing feeling.”23 He added, “I think the crowd gave me chills out there when it got really loud when they introduced my name…everything just hit me.”24

“I’m very proud of what Matt Bush did tonight,” said Banister. “He was very composed.”25

Chad Girodo, who had made his major-league debut less than a month earlier, relieved Dickey and retired the Rangers in order in the ninth inning to complete Toronto’s 5-0, three-hit shutout.26

Afterward, Tulowitzki noted, “Our starting pitching has been fantastic, probably the best in the league,” he said. “If our offense can just hold its own…(we’re) definitely going to be a good team and a hard team to beat.”27

Bush capitalized on his opportunity in 2016, finishing 7-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 61⅔ innings. The Rangers and Blue Jays both returned to the postseason that October. Texas finished 95-67 to win the division, while Toronto went 89-73 to earn a Wild Card berth. Toronto swept Texas in the ALDS before falling to the Cleveland Indians in the AL Championship Series.28 Bush pitched twice in the ALDS; he did not allow an earned run but took the loss in the decisive Game Three.

Arm injuries, eventually resulting in Tommy John surgery in July 2019, sidetracked Bush’s rise, but he pitched in 217 games for the Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers through the 2023 season.29

After baseball, his personal problems returned. In October 2024, Bush was arrested after fleeing Texas police and attempting to leave the scene of a multi-vehicle accident. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, accident involving injury, and evading arrest.30 In January 2025, Bush was arrested for violating the conditions of his bond related to the October incident.31 In February 2026, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and is eligible for parole beginning in August 2030.32

Acknowledgments

This article was fact-checked by Gary Belleville and copy-edited by Mike Eisenbath.

Photo credit: Matt Bush, Trading Card Database.

Sources

In addition to the sources mentioned in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball Reference, Retrosheet, and MLB.com.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX201605130.shtml

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2016/B05130TEX2016.htm

Notes

1 The game was played at Globe Life Park in Arlington, the home of the Rangers from 1994 through 2019.

2 Bush headlined a talented 2004 first-round draft class that also included future major leaguers Justin Verlander, Jered Weaver, Homer Bailey, Billy Butler, and Stephen Drew.

3 Sullivan, “2004 No. 1 Pick Bush Debuts with Rangers.” Bush signed with the San Diego Padres for a $3.15 million bonus as the first overall selection. Associated Press, “Bush Gets $3.15 Million,” Los Angeles Times, June 10, 2004, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jun-10-sp-bbnotes10-story.html. His legal troubles began almost immediately; less than two weeks after the draft, he was arrested following an alcohol-fueled altercation with nightclub bouncers on suspicion of felony assault, misdemeanor trespass, and disorderly conduct, and was cited for underage drinking. Associated Press, “Bush Faces Several Charges Following Arrest,” ESPN, June 22, 2004, https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=1825927. Over the next several years, Bush was arrested multiple times, including three separate DUI offenses and other alcohol-related altercations. Persistent injuries also hindered his development, prompting the Padres to convert him from shortstop to pitcher in 2007. After being purchased by the Blue Jays from the Padres in February 2009, Bush was released one month later following another off-field incident. He spent the entire 2009 season out of baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays signed him in January 2010, but his career again unraveled in March 2012 when he was arrested following a DUI hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a motorcyclist. Eli Saslow, “‘Matt Bush? That Matt Bush?’” ESPN, April 7, 2016, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/15147918/the-story-texas-rangers-prospect-matt-bush-rediscovery-unlikely-comeback. Bush’s blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.18 percent, more than twice Florida’s legal limit. In the aftermath of the incident, the Rays removed him from their 40-man roster and released him following the season. Associated Press. “Ex-Top Pick Matt Bush Sentenced.” ESPN, December 18, 2012. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8760032/ex-mlb-top-pick-matt-bush-sentenced-four-years-dui. In December 2012, Bush accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced to 51 months (four years and three months) in prison. Eli Saslow, “‘Matt Bush? That Matt Bush?’” He served 34 months before being released on October 31, 2015. Marc Lancaster, “Matt Bush, No. 1 pick in 2004, to make MLB debut months after release from prison,” The Sporting News, May 13, 2016. https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/matt-bush-texas-rangers-mlb-debut-jail-prison-dui-conviction-no-1-pick-padres/1xru81awb4ry01lxal91y75eyv.

4 Bush and Silver had known one another since 2010, when Bush spent several months living at Silver’s baseball academy in Clearwater, Florida. Over time, Silver became a mentor to Bush in matters of faith and sobriety. Silver, who served as a player adviser for the Rangers, had previously assisted fellow former No. 1 overall draft pick Josh Hamilton during his return to professional baseball following a four-year absence. Saslow, “‘Matt Bush? That Matt Bush?’” Silver served as an accountability partner for Bush throughout his return to the game, alternating road trips with Bush’s father. Jeff Wilson, “Rangers Decide It’s Right Time for Matt Bush, Who Has Sterling Debut,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 13, 2016, https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article77620012.html.

5 Eli Saslow, “‘Matt Bush? That Matt Bush?’” ESPN, April 7, 2016, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/15147918/the-story-texas-rangers-prospect-matt-bush-rediscovery-unlikely-comeback.

6 David Schoenfield, “Matt Bush Becomes 30-Year-Old Rookie with Rangers,” ESPN SweetSpot, May 13, 2016, https://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/70692/matt-bush-becomes-unlikely-30-year-old-rookie-as-rangers-call-him-up.

7 Sullivan, “2004 No. 1 Pick Bush Debuts with Rangers.”

8 Through their first 36 games of the 2016 season (ending May 11), the Blue Jays scored 145 runs, an average of 4.03 runs per game, below the full-season major-league average of 4.48. After finishing April with an 11-14 record, Toronto ranked in the middle of the AL in most offensive categories, a marked decline from 2015, when it led the majors in runs scored, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.

9 The Mariners led the American League with a 3.11 team ERA, followed by the White Sox at 3.19 and the Blue Jays at 3.26.

10 Bautista’s bat flip occurred after his go-ahead three-run home run off Rangers reliever Sam Dyson in the seventh inning of Game Five of the 2015 ALDS. The home run gave Toronto a 6-3 lead in a game the Blue Jays would win by the same score to advance to the AL Championship Series. Bautista’s animated celebration generated considerable discussion at the time.

11 Stephen Hawkins, “Dickey, Blue Jays cool off Rangers,” Abilene (Texas) Reporter-News, May 14, 2016: 5C.

12 After the Rangers selected Dickey in the first round of the 1996 MLB Draft, a pre-signing physical revealed that he lacked an ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The discovery prompted Texas to reduce its signing bonus offer from $810,000 to $75,000, which Dickey accepted. Although he reached the major leagues in 2001, he did not receive an extended opportunity as a starter until 2003. He struggled to find consistency, going 15-15 with a 5.33 ERA in 63 games for the Rangers from 2003 to 2004. At the suggestion of pitching coach Orel Hershiser in 2005, Dickey began experimenting with the knuckleball. Working under the guidance of former Rangers knuckleballer Charlie Hough, he began the transformation that redefined his career, though its greatest rewards came after his time in Texas ended. In all, Dickey appeared in 77 games for the Rangers from 2001 to 2006, going 16-19 with a 5.72 ERA. In 2006, he made one major-league start for Texas, allowing seven earned runs in 3⅓ innings for an 18.90 ERA, before spending the remainder of the season at Triple-A Oklahoma, where he went 9-8 with just 61 strikeouts in 131⅔ innings. He was released on October 11, 2006.

13 Dickey won the National League Cy Young Award with the New York Mets in 2012 before joining the Toronto Blue Jays the following season.

14 Colabello was suspended for 80 games without pay in April 2016 after testing positive for an anabolic steroid, in violation of MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension took effect immediately. At the time of the suspension, Colabello was batting .069 in 10 games for the Blue Jays. In 2015, his first season in Toronto, Colabello hit .321 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs.

15 Smoak was selected by the Rangers with the 11th overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft and made his major-league debut with Texas in April 2010. Less than three months later, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners as part of the package that brought Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe to Texas. Smoak enjoyed the most productive season of his career with the Blue Jays in 2017, earning his lone All-Star selection.

16 Pérez finished the 2016 season with a 10-11 record and a 4.39 ERA in 33 appearances. Pérez was selected to the American League All-Star team in 2022 and earned a World Series championship ring with the Rangers in 2023

17 Tom Wilhelmsen, nicknamed “The Bartender,” stepped away from professional baseball after receiving two suspensions for testing positive for marijuana, including a season-long suspension in 2004. After working as a bartender from 2005 to 2009, he returned to baseball, eventually reaching the major leagues with the Seattle Mariners. Like Matt Bush and Chris Colabello, Wilhelmsen’s career was interrupted by substance-related issues.

18 Brendan Kennedy, “Dickey steals show down in Texas,” The Toronto Star, May 14, 2016: S3. Tulowitzki’s home run was the 200th of his major-league career, although his place among shortstops to reach the milestone depends on how the position is defined. One of his previous 199 home runs came as a pinch-hitter in a game in which he subsequently entered defensively at shortstop. If a shortstop is defined as a player who appeared at the position in at least 50 percent of his career games, Tulowitzki was the 10th shortstop to reach 200 career home runs. If only home runs hit while a player was in the lineup as a shortstop are counted, this was Tulowitzki’s 199th; he became the seventh shortstop to reach 200 under that definition when he hit his next home run.

19 The 5-0 defeat marked just the second time the Rangers had been shut out thus far that season.

20 News Wire Services, “Dickey’s knuckler works as Jays blank Rangers,” The Buffalo News, May 14, 2016: D4.

21 Kennedy, “Dickey steals show down in Texas.”

22 Jean-Jacques Taylor, “Rangers Promote Matt Bush, Ending 12-Year Trek to Majors,” ESPN, May 13, 2016, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/15531461/matt-bush-called-texas-rangers-ending-12-year-trek-major-leagues.

23 Taylor, “Rangers Promote Matt Bush, Ending 12-Year Trek to Majors.”

24 Wilson, “Bush dazzles in Rangers’ debut.”

25 Taylor, “Rangers Promote Matt Bush, Ending 12-Year Trek to Majors.” Bush’s debut came during an increasingly heated rivalry between both clubs. On Sunday, the series concluded with a 7-6 Texas victory that featured two bench-clearing incidents. After Bush hit Bautista with a pitch in the eighth inning, Bautista’s hard slide into second base sparked a confrontation that culminated in Odor punching Bautista. In the bottom half of the inning, Blue Jays reliever Jesse Chavez hit Prince Fielder with a pitch, triggering a second benches-clearing confrontation.

26 The 2016 season proved to be Girodo’s only campaign in the major leagues. He appeared in 14 games for the Blue Jays, posting a 4.35 ERA over 10⅓ innings. Girodo made his final major-league appearance on June 19, 2016.

27 Kennedy, “Dickey steals show down in Texas.”

28 The 2016 American League Division Series marked the second consecutive postseason meeting between the Rangers and Blue Jays. Toronto completed a three-game sweep in dramatic fashion when Josh Donaldson scored from second base on Rougned Odor’s errant relay throw in the bottom of the 10th inning of Game Three. Before Donaldson’s run was allowed to stand, the umpires conducted a replay review to determine whether Edwin Encarnación had illegally interfered with Odor’s throw while sliding into second base. The review upheld the call on the field, giving the Blue Jays a 7-6 victory and advancing them to the American League Championship Series. The play marked the first time in Major League Baseball history that a postseason series ended on an error.

29 “Rangers Do Not Tender 2024 Contract Offers to RHP Matt Bush and LHP Brett Martin,” MLB.com, November 17, 2023, https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-rangers-do-not-tender-2024-contract-offers-to-rhp-matt-bush-and-lh. Although Bush did not appear in a game for the Rangers in 2023, he was on the club’s active roster for the final two regular-season games, the ALWC Series, and the ALDS. Texas went on to win the World Series, and Bush earned a championship ring despite not appearing in a postseason game.

30 Richard Pollina, “Ex-MLB Pitcher and No. 1 Overall Pick Matt Bush Hit with DWI Charges after Allegedly Trying to Flee Multi-Vehicle Crash,” New York Post, October 7, 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/10/07/sports/ex-mlb-pitcher-matt-bush-hit-with-dwi-charges-after-allegedly-trying-to-flee-car-crash/.

31 Ryan Osborne, “Former Texas Rangers Pitcher Arrested on Bond Violations in Drunk Driving Case, Records Say,” WFAA, January 29, 2025, https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-matt-bush-arrest-tarrant-county-jail-arlington/287-83c1f3a6-3daa-407f-97a9-acc1badab842. Bush failed a SCRAM alcohol-monitoring test, leading to his arrest. SCRAM, an acronym for Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring, is an ankle device used by courts and probation agencies to detect alcohol consumption through perspiration. The device tests for alcohol approximately every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day, while also monitoring skin temperature and contact to detect potential tampering. Results are transmitted electronically to supervising probation officers or monitoring agencies.

32 “Inmate Information Details,” Texas Department of Criminal Justice, SID Number 21095609, TDCJ Number 02604167, https://inmate.tdcj.texas.gov/InmateSearch/viewDetail.action?sid=21095609, accessed September 6, 2026.