Rangers right-hander Matt Bush has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will undergo Tommy John surgery, the team announced to reporters (Twitter link via Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

Bush, 33, had been pitching in Double-A while rehabbing a prior operation to repair damage to his right UCL. The issue was initially discovered late last September, at which point Bush underwent a non-Tommy-John surgical procedure in an effort to remedy the injury. Given the timing of that injury, he’d have missed the entire 2019 season anyhow, but it now looks likely that Bush will be sidelined for much of the 2020 season as well.

Recent indications fro the organization indicated that Bush was close to rejoining the Rangers’ bullpen. He’d pitched 8 2/3 innings in Frisco and allowed just one run on three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Texas has already been said to be on the lookout for bullpen help, and the loss of what the team believed to be a near-term option will surely make that need felt all the more acutely. Bush struggled in 2018 but notched a 3.08 ERA and a 119-to-33 K/BB ratio through 114 innings in the two prior seasons.