The Tigers announced this afternoon that they have placed starter Michael Fulmer on the 10-day disabled list. He’s said to be dealing with a left oblique strain.
It’s a surprising placement, as Fulmer had seemingly been on track to remain in the rotation heading out of the All-Star break. Details on the injury are not yet available. Reliever Victor Alcantara will take the open roster spot.
Of particular note, it’s now quite difficult to imagine Fulmer as a summer trade candidate. That may not have been in the cards regardless, but the possibility had at least been intriguing to consider. Fulmer was one of several quality, controllable starters who we rated among the 75 top trade deadline candidates.
Fulmer, 25, has continued to see his results deteriorate after a sterling rookie campaign. Through 112 frames in 2018, he carries a 4.50 ERA with 7.5 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 along with a 45.6% groundball rate. Still, Fulmer is throwing the same upper-nineties heat and getting the same range of swinging strikes (10.5%) as before. Though he has allowed more hard contact in prior seasons, Fulmer mostly seems like the same pitcher and would be of obvious interest to other organizations.
If there was any plausibility to a trade scenario, it came largely from the fact that this year’s starter rental market is not exactly loaded. Teams seeking quality starters, then, will surely at least inquire on pitchers of Fulmer’s ilk.
Affordability and future control make Fulmer an easy asset for the Tigers to hang onto, though perhaps he could appear in trade rumors again in the winter if he returns and throws well down the stretch. Fulmer is headed for arbitration at season’s end as a Super Two player. The absence will cost him in that process, though not significantly — if, at least, he’s able to return in reasonably short order.
Well guess that’ll end the trade speculation until the winter
I wonder if that’s why they did it? *cues conspiracy music*
Shut down all Fulmer rumors til the offseason
They weren’t going to trade him anyway. His value is close to an all-time-low. Who would not mind Fulmer because of the four years team-control, but… 4.50 ERA? Yikes. last start, blasted for 7 ER in 4.2 Innings. He has 4.26 FIP, 4.21 xFIP.
4.26 FIP when his career FIP is 3.86. The problem with Fulmer is that 1 more “down” season and he’ll have no trade value what so ever. Fulmer can net a decent haul simply due to upside and team control.
Its a roll of the dice. If he starts pitching really well next year, they could get much more than they could have if they traded him 2 weeks ago. Considering he has 4 years left on contract, the Tigers can roll the dice multiple times. I would rather take the risk of seeing if he gets better before just cashing in now (or before this injury). He wasnt going to net that substantial of a return as it stood.
And it seems so recent that many were claiming how Detroit fleeced the Mets out of an ace pitcher. He may be no better than Wheeler or Matz at this point.
didn’t know he played outfield, thought he was a pitcher
Victor alcantara is a pitcher
We’ll see what the Tigers got for Camerin Maybin now.
Where is the guy from earlier that was commenting on when Fulmer “gets right” it’s a great idea for the braves to trade for him?
There wasn’t. The only person that mentioned him “getting right” wasn’t advocating for him to go to any specific team
It’s still true,just might take 10 days longer.
That was me. Not sure how this popping up changes my opinion that he will be seen as a young ace again in due time.
If anything this should disappoint teams because he might have been the only ‘potential’top end starter truly available this trade deadline.
Great timing that keeps the Braves from over paying for Fulmer.
Really? Right now his value is the lowest it’s been. Would you prefer they wait until he is pitching lights out? That’s when it really will take an overpay.
Simply stated, I don’t think that the addition of Fulmer is going to be worth any price that the Tigers likely will accept for him. Even at this lowest value he still is likely to be far more expensive than I think he is worth. I know that my opinion means next to nothing, but I firmly believe that the only starting pitcher worth a large talent outlay by Atlanta would be deGrom.
That’s assuming he ever “pitched lights out” again. Sure he was amazing as a rookie, but he hasn’t been since and I haven’t seen any sign of that changing and I could be wrong, but I don’t see it happening. I figure he’ll continue to be alright, but not a guy you want to give up a lot for. True if he gets better you would have to pay even more, but an over pay is an over pay regardless. And if he never gets better and you gave up top prospects then ouch
The main problem is that if you pay top price and Fulmer is great, then you break even to maybe win a bit on the trade. If not, you’re looking at Shelby Miller 2.0 Trade and that costs people their jobs.
7.47 K/9 weeks from the trade deadline, ties his single-season, career-high mark. (2016)
Good Omen for Fulmer?
The problem is that Fulmer has always produced sub par k/9 rates. His inability to generates strikeouts doesn’t bode well for him when he doesn’t have his best stuff. Of course that could be said for all pitchers, but Fulmer’s strikeout rates even at their best are unspectacular.
That was my first thought as well. Thank goodness
In my opinion, Fulmer is a #3, no better. People like to dream on young guys that throw hard, but it takes more than that.
Agreed. He has never been as good as people like to believe.
His pitching mechanics may be too jerky and violent. First he was whipping his shoulder across and that caused his shoulder injury and now? I havent seen any footage in depth from him recently but he could be twisting his back weirdly now so that he didnt have to put it all on his shoulder. Can anyone comment of what they see from his mechanics that could lead to injuries like this, or does this seem more like a minor one time thing?
The people giving up on fulmer are the same people that gave up on Zimmermann. Fulmer will get healthy and pitch well again. I don’t think he’s an ace, but he will be a solid 2 or 3. Keep him in Detroit. He will fit in nicely with Mize, faedo… manning and Perez