Ky Bush, a 24-year-old left-handed pitcher, will make his MLB debut in Oakland tomorrow night, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. The White Sox needed another starting pitcher to occupy a rotation spot thanks to Erick Fedde’s departure and Drew Thorpe’s injury. Bush is that guy. Elijah Evans of FutureSox reported earlier today that Bush was scratched from his AAA start, and we now know why. Another top White Sox prospect is getting a chance to show what he can do in the majors.
Acquired in the Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López trade with the Angels at last year’s trade deadline, the 6’6 250 pound Bush is one of the organization’s most MLB-ready pitching prospects. His 55-grade slider is his best pitch according to his MLB.com scouting report, with his fastball, curveball, and changeup all receiving 50 grades. Despite having a rough time following the trade last year, Bush has bounced back in a big way this season. He had a 2.12 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 8.7 K/9 in 80.2 innings over 14 starts with the AA Birmingham Barons this season. He performed so well in AA that he was promoted to the AAA Charlotte Knights in early July.
Unfortunately for Bush, he has been unable to replicate the same level of success in AAA that he had in AA. He has an inflated 6.16 ERA and 1.53 WHIP with the Knights. His numbers have trended in the wrong direction since his promotion. However, it is just a 19-inning sample size, and the International League is notoriously hitter-friendly. The White Sox promoted Drew Thorpe straight from AA to the majors earlier this year for that very reason. Bush’s struggles are not the end of the world given how prevalent offense is in that league. One must take AAA stats with a grain of salt.
Bush has a real opportunity in front of him. Trades, injuries, and innings limits have left the White Sox starting rotation in flux. He could stick in the big league rotation if he performs moving forward. Bush also has the advantage of being young and a highly thought of prospect, so it would make sense for the White Sox to give him an audition right now to see what they have in him. The rest of the season is meaningless as far as the White Sox are concerned, so this period represents a golden opportunity for Bush to prove himself at the MLB level in a low-stress environment.
The Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López for Edgar Quero and Ky Bush trade appears to be one of the better deals the White Sox have made in a while. Quero is having a fantastic season in the minors and will be the starting catcher of the future. And Bush’s strong season in AA has allowed him to get a taste of the big leagues for the first time. A potential long-term piece in the rotation, Bush is worth turning on the TV for as the White Sox endure their worst losing streak and season in franchise history.
