ARLINGTON, Texas _ Matt Bush is in danger of joining the Rangers' sad history of effective relievers who went south after trying to transform into starters.
The Rangers on Wednesday used Bush's final option to send him to Triple-A Round Rock. Manager Jeff Banister said the club wants Bush to throw more strikes. Bush's strikes rate had declined from 66.9 percent in his first two seasons to 56.6 this year.
"Any time a guy goes down, he has a chance to sharpen his skill set," Banister said.
This all started in the offseason, when the Rangers decided to grant Bush's request to try for a spot in the rotation.
The idea worked for the Rangers with C.J. Wilson in 2010, when he helped them reach the World Series for the first time. The results were not as good for Neftali Feliz, Robbie Ross and Tanner Scheppers.
Feliz broke down in 2012. Ross and Scheppers were a combined 1-7 with a 6.66 ERA for 16 starts in 2014.
Bush did not make it to the regular season as a starter. The Rangers told Bush on March 11 that he was going back to the bullpen, giving him time to process the change.
Bush has been off his game ever since.
In his final six spring training appearances, Bush allowed seven runs in six innings. In the regular season, Bush allowed 18 baserunners, nine on walks, in 11 1/3 innings.
The Rangers believed Bush's spring work as a starter would enable him to be a multi-innings reliever. He has pitched more than one inning twice in 13 appearances.
Was Bush so disappointed by not opening in the rotation that it negatively affected his performance, forcing the return to the minors?
Bush was not available for comment. Banister said he did not sense Bush had been in a funk for six weeks.
"I think he appreciated the opportunity," Banister said of the spring experiment. "I know he wanted the opportunity to start. Any time there's a desire and you don't get it, there is probably some disappointment. I don't think Matt let any of that linger at all."
There could also be a problem with pitch selection. Bush has gone curveball-heavy this season at the expense of a powerful four-seam fastball.
According to fangraphs.com, Bush's use of the four-seam fastball has dropped to 63.8 percent, which would be a career low over a full season. His curveball rate has risen to 26.5 percent, double last season's figure.
Bush's last two appearances before going to the minors illustrate the situation.
On Monday, Bush missed with three consecutive curveballs to walk Oakland's Khris Davis. That brought a mound visit from pitching coach Doug Brocail.
On Tuesday, Bush walked Matt Joyce from a 0-2 count by missing with four consecutive curveballs, again bringing Brocail to the mound. Jed Lowrie followed with a run-scoring single on a first-pitch curveball.
In those two brief outings, Bush threw seven curveballs and five fastballs. The Rangers want to see more fastballs.
"Simplifying his plan of attack," Banister said when asked the goal for Bush in the minors. "Be ready when we need to come back up there. Be fresh and ready to help us out.
"Matt generally has pretty good command of the fastball. ... The thing is consistency of the strikes and getting outs."
Bush will determine when he returns to the majors by his work with Round Rock. He could break the cycle that consumed Feliz, Ross and Scheppers. It rests with Bush.
