The Tigers placed right-hander Michael Fulmer on the 10-day injured list due to a right cervical spine strain. Left-hander Miguel Del Pozo was called up from Triple-A Toledo to take Fulmer’s spot on the active roster. Despite the rather ominous-sounding official injury designation, “the normal term is his neck is bothering him,” manager A.J. Hinch told The Detroit News’ Chris McCosky and other reporters. Fulmer felt the injury following yesterday’s outing against the Astros, which saw the righty allow three runs on two homers over an inning of work.
While the issue doesn’t sound overly serious, it does represent at least 10 fewer days for opposing scouts and front offices to gauge Fulmer’s value as a trade candidate. The 2016 AL Rookie Of The Year has reinvented himself as a reliever coming off Tommy John surgery in 2019 and some tough results as a starter in 2020, and Fulmer has a 3.62 ERA, 29.66% strikeout rate, and 5.08% walk rate in 27 1/3 innings out of the bullpen this season. He has also shown some quality in high-leverage situations, racking up six saves as part of Detroit’s closer committee.
With Fulmer still under control through one final arbitration year in 2022, he makes for an interesting trade chip for the Tigers to shop prior to July 30, assuming that he is able to return from the IL in good condition. An enterprising team could acquire Fulmer as bullpen help for this season, and then perhaps consider stretching him out next spring for one last crack at starting pitching, with a return to the relief corps available as a fallback option.
The transaction also creates another opportunity for Del Pozo, who didn’t get a chance to pitch when he was briefly called up to the Tigers earlier this month. Del Pozo signed a minor league deal with Detroit last winter, and over 13 innings with the Angels and Pirates in 2019-20, the southpaw issued 16 walks and posted a 12.46 ERA. At Triple-A Toledo this season, however, Del Pozo has a 1.02 ERA over 17 2/3 innings, with a 35.4% strikeout rate and (perhaps most importantly) a much more palatable 9.23% walk rate.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
I can’t tell if you are being sincere or sarcastic.
Being me I think sincere. Don’t shatter my illusion if I am incorrect.
100% sincere my friend. I understand the doubt though, even Tebow’s sincerity was questioned. Anything out of the ordinary often is.
Your handle is from the Pretty In Pink guy, right? Don’t shatter my illusion if I’m incorrect.
Awesome.
I’ve zero issues with prayer & positivity. In fact, I’m pro both of them.
Uh…
That’s good to hear.
LOL … Mike Torrez, Mickey’s borrowed corked bat, all water under the bridge. Boone’s was harder to swallow because of Grady’s epic blunder.
“corked bat”
pfffffffft
That was a seminal moment of my childhood.
Man that was a fun summer.
Corking bats was a lot more common back then, so no big deal. But multiple players did say Mickey told them it was corked. Add to that Mickey saying “use my bat, I’ve got a good feeling” and “tell him there’s a homerun in it” plus the fact Dent was hitting .140 his previous 20 games with no homeruns, it’s certainly reasonable to raise questions about the bat.
But like I said, water under the bridge.
Why in the world would Rivers cork his bat?
Nettles? Sure. He was a power hitter. Rivers was a pure slap hitter. Not the kind of dude to cork a bat.
& Mickey gave Dent his bat because he heard Dent’s crack.
Funny.
Same event yet widely disparate takes.
That remains my favorite baseball season ever. Man those teams loathed one another. & they both were packed with really talented ball players.
Ducky – ty for asking that question. I was in the same boat – part of me wanted to mute him for trolling but deep down I was hoping he was sincere and never want to mute someone for being sincere.
Al…. hesitating….now 3 down.
Still waiting for Boyd and Fulmer’s value to bottom out.
Daniel Norris agrees with you, and has been lonely waiting on his two fellow de-bloomed Tiger starting pitcher prospects.
Ha, at least Skubal has looked solid lately. Mize is no future Cy Young and Manning could use a cold beer.
I will assume that the Tigers keep trotting Nomar Mazara out in hope he makes himself attractive enough to trade. I originally thought the same for Robbie Grossman.
Holy Toledo!
Screw that Waldo guy….Where’s Al? For that matter, “Where’s Chris?”.
Hurt his neck watching the HR’s going out….