Detroit Tigers: How will Michael Fulmer perform in first full season as an ace?
By Brad Faber
Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer has been very impressive over the first two seasons of his career. He will presumably enter the 2018 campaign as the ace of the rebuilding Tigers.
Back in 2015, the Detroit Tigers acquired Michael Fulmer from the New York Mets in exchange for Yoenis Cespedes. The Tigers also received Luis Cessa, who was later traded to the New York Yankees.
Fulmer made his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers in April of the following season and went on to win the AL Rookie of the Year award. Through 26 starts, he went 11-7 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. He pitched a complete game shutout against the Texas Rangers that season as well.
In 2017, Fulmer followed up his exceptional rookie campaign with another solid season. He made the first All-Star team of his career after going 9-6 with a 3.19 ERA in the first half. The second half was a bit of a struggle, however. Over eight starts, he went 1-6 with a 5.33 ERA. In September, it’s reported that he would be undergoing season-ending elbow surgery.
Fulmer has now reported to Spring Training healthy and ready to go. On Tuesday, he made his first Grapefruit League start. He pitched two innings against the Baltimore Orioles, allowing one run and striking out two. The run he allowed was a solo home run off the bat of Trey Mancini. Despite allowing the home run, he looked like his usual self, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com and Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press.
Michael Fulmer gave up a Trey Mancini HR on an offspeed pitch in an otherwise good-looking first inning of spring. 14 pitches, 10 strikes, fastball consistently at 94 mph.
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) February 26, 2018
Michael Fulmer allowed one hit in two innings - a solo home run - and looked like Michael Fulmer.
— anthony fenech (@anthonyfenech) February 26, 2018
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
The new ace
Going into the 2018 season, Fulmer is now an ace. He didn’t really get a chance to settle into the role at the end of last season. Although the Tigers traded longtime ace Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros on the final day of August, the trade occurred around the same time of Fulmer’s injury.
If Fulmer can pitch the way he did during his rookie season and the first half of last year, he should be more than capable of leading a Tigers’ staff that currently has more than a few question marks.
There is a chance that he could be even better in 2018 as well. Earlier this month, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reported that “[Fulmer] looks stronger than ever.” Per McCosky, newly-hired pitching coach Chris Bosio has already helped Fulmer make a mechanical adjustment, believing it would be beneficial for him if his delivery included less “intensity and ferocity.”
Next: New York Yankees: Is another starter needed?
With the Detroit Tigers in rebuilding mode, many will likely be eyeing Fulmer’s status as a potential trade candidate. With several years left of team control, he would surely be an attractive target for most any team that is looking to bolster its starting rotation. For now, though, he is a Tiger.