Ky Bush Seeks Improved Command After First Stint In MLB

The White Sox optioned left-hander Ky Bush to Triple-A Charlotte on Monday in a flurry of roster moves that included claiming Jacob Amaya off waivers, designating infielder Nick Senzel for assignment, and recalling infielder Bryan Ramos and left-hander Sammy Peralta. 

Bush has only gotten four MLB starts under his belt with mixed results. In 17.2 innings he went 0-3 with a 5.60 ERA and 2.04 WHIP. However, Bush did manage to limit a loaded Yankees lineup to just two runs in four innings despite allowing six hits and seven walks on August 12. It was a multi-inning escape act that would even leave Houdini impressed. Bush followed that up with a quality start in Houston, tossing six innings of one-run ball and limiting the Astros to four hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. 

His brief stint in the majors was an excellent learning opportunity for the White Sox No. 10 prospect, who jumped to the big leagues after just four starts in Triple-A. While fans may have only gotten a small snapshot of what Bush can do at the MLB level, the brief stint was an excellent learning opportunity for the 24-year-old. Now he will be looking to apply what he learned with the Charlotte Knights.  

One of the biggest issues he faced was throwing strikes consistently. Busch struggled with command in nearly every start he made in a White Sox uniform posting an 11/16  strikeout-to-walk-ratio. His 18.4% walk rate is almost ten percent higher than the league average. 

Bush cut down on walks in his final start before getting sent down over the weekend. On Saturday the rookie only walked one batter but lasted just three innings after surrendering five runs on eight hits, which included a home run. Of the 17 batters he faced he was able to throw a first-pitch strike to nine of them. However, the rookie left-hander struggled to stay ahead in the count, consistently putting the Tigers bats in hitter-friendly situations. He fell behind 3-1 on four separate occasions. One such instance came in the first inning on Tigers leadoff hitter Marr Vierling set the tone with an early double. 

Command wasn’t always something that Bush struggled with. Early in his professional career, he showcased excellent control. In his first 115 innings (103 of which came in Double-A) he allowed 34 free passes. However, after starting the 2023 season on the injured list with a shoulder issue his command took a nose dive. 

Bush has a four-pitch mix that includes a fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. During his first four starts in the MLB he leaned heavily on his fastball and slider, throwing those two pitches nearly 75 percent of the time, with the fastball accounting for 51 percent of his pitches. That fastball sits at just 91 mph, leaving Bush with little margin for error, especially if he isn’t locating it. 

During his final start against the Tigers, he tried to mix in his curveball more, throwing it 30 percent of the time. Bush said after the game that this was because he had a better feel for his curveball than his slider but admitted that he could have mixed in a few more sliders. His curveball could serve as a nice change of pace to keep hitters off balance.

With his fastball losing three to four mph since he was drafted, refining his pitch mix could be beneficial. His slider remains his best pitch. However, if hitters are worried about his changeup and curveball they won’t be able to sit on his fastball as often which could help minimize damage. It will be interesting to see how Bush responds in Triple-A after getting his first taste of major league baseball. The White Sox hope the lessons he learned can be applied in the minors and help him compete for a spot in the starting rotation next season.