Detroit Tigers: Michael Fulmer Loses Scoreless Inning Streak
By Matt Weyrich
Detroit Tigers rookie Michael Fulmer saw his scoreless inning streak snapped Friday night at 33 and a third innings.
For any starter, going out and tossing six scoreless innings on a given night is always an impressive feat. For a 23-year-old rookie to last 33.1 straight frames without allowing a single runner to cross the plate, it’s practically unheard of. Michael Fulmer (7-2, 2.43 ERA) may have lost his Detroit Tigers rookie record scoreless inning streak on Salvador Perez’s solo shot in the sixth inning Friday, but his feat remains unparalleled in today’s game.
Fulmer, who was acquired by the Tigers at last year’s trade deadline from the New York Mets as part of the Yoenis Cespedes deal, has taken the league by storm. After a few rocky outings in early May, the young right-hander has settled in. In his six starts since he was rocked for five runs against the Orioles on May 15, Fulmer is 5-1 with a sparkling 0.45 ERA. His scoreless streak began in the sixth inning in his start against Tampa Bay on May 21 and stretched nearly a month before losing it in Kansas City.
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The Tigers’ young phenom recorded the longest scoreless inning streak by a rookie since Fernando Valenzuela threw 35 straight in 1981, according to Elias Sports Bureau. His 2.43 ERA on the season is the second best mark by a Detroit rookie starter with at least 59 innings in the past 100 years.
Fulmer relies heavily on his fastball/slider combination, throwing the two pitches a combined 62.6 percent of the time (Brooks Baseball). His fastball tops out at 96 mph while his slider keeps hitters guessing with added backspin. His most effective pitch, however, has been the changeup. Featuring natural sinking action, Fulmer’s changeup produces swings and misses on nearly 20 percent of the times he throws it.
Originally called up as injury replacement, Fulmer’s stint in the majors was not expected to be long-term. However, with Anibal Sanchez’s continued struggles, the need for a solid starter behind Justin Verlander and Jordan Zimmermann was becoming increasingly apparent.
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The Detroit Tigers currently sit one game over .500 and only two and a half games behind the Cleveland Indians in a tight American League Central. With manager Brad Ausmus on the hot seat, this team is expected to win now. Behind Michael Fulmer, Detroit is doing just that. Only time will tell if his streak was just stretch of good fortune or a glimpse of what’s to come.