The Cubs announced today that they have selected the contract of right-hander Michael Fulmer. Fellow right-hander Nate Pearson has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa as the corresponding active roster move. The 40-man roster had a vacancy but is now full.
Fulmer pitched briefly with the Red Sox earlier this year but was cut loose after yielding three runs in just 2 2/3 innings. That marked the end of what was a relatively long match between the two parties. The 2016 American League Rookie of the Year (as a starter with the Tigers) had signed a two-year minor league contract with Boston and spent the entire 2024 season and early 2025 season rehabbing with Boston’s staff. He signed with the Cubs on a minor league pact in late April.
That looks to have been a potentially nice pickup for the Cubs, who are no stranger to Fulmer after he spent the 2023 season in Chicago’s bullpen. So far in his second stint with the Cubs, Fulmer has pitched 24 1/3 Triple-A frames with a tidy 2.96 ERA. He’s fanned a gaudy 32% of his opponents but also issued walks at an inflated 11% clip. Fulmer’s heater isn’t close to the 95.5 mph it averaged at peak, but he saw a modest bump from 92.4 mph during his time with the Red Sox to 92.9 mph with the Cubs’ affiliate in Iowa.
As tends to be the case, the Cubs are patching their bullpen together on the fly this year. Porter Hodge, who had a nice rookie showing in 2024, has missed more than a month due to an oblique strain. Ryan Pressly, the Cubs’ primary offseason acquisition in the bullpen, was shaky early before being absolute torpedoed for eight earned runs without recording an out in a May 6 drubbing at the hands of the Giants. He’s still working to recover from that damage, but Pressly rattled off 15 straight scoreless innings with a 14-to-3 K/BB ratio thereafter. He served up two earned runs in his most recent appearance — his first runs allowed since that calamitous Giants appearance.
The rest of the bullpen consists of journeymen and reclamation projects. Chicago currently has Drew Pomeranz, Chris Flexen, Brad Keller, Ryan Brasier and Caleb Thielbar in the bullpen — all 30-something veterans on one-year deals. (Keller will turn 30 next month.) The lone exception is young Daniel Palencia, who’s been handling save situations recently and looks to be handling the job well. He’s picked up seven saves while posting a 1.93 ERA in 28 frames this year. That includes a 1.46 ERA and 14-to-3 K/BB ratio in 12 1/3 innings since being moved into the ninth inning.
Fulmer will join that cast of 30-something veterans and hope he can find similar success to Keller, Pomeranz, Thielbar, Flexen and Brasier — all of whom improbably sport ERAs of 2.20 or better.
Second time around, hope he can pitch like he has been in AAA.
Crap, or crapola?
El Crapita.
Has to be one of the bigger what-if careers of the last ten years since the ulnar nerve surgery. No disrespect, of course. He’s carved out a niche, more than we can say for many others.
The man who was dealt for Cespedes.
They have their guy
Guessing it has something to do with his ability to opt out at some point. Maybe he is already passed it and when Pearson face planted yesterday he said something? Well he better produce because it’s the DFA scrap heap if he fails as they can’t send him back. Might go through a bunch of guys until Hodge rights the ship.
The DFA scrap heap is where Hoyer finds most of his BP pieces. With the exception of Keller, that group has nose dived recently. At least we can be thankful that they’re not giving Pearson another shot because he had a “bad outing”. Get on the phone Jed. You’ve got work to do.
Pomeranz and Flexen haven’t really nose dived. The 0.00 ERA couldn’t last forever.
Marquee already said Hodge and Imanaga are in St Louis and just waiting to be activated. So it appears Hodge’s rehab struggles aren’t impeding his activation anyway. So now we have to figure out who goes next out of the pen now. I’m scratching my head right now.
Uncle—by the time you wake up tomorrow (or probably go to bed tonight):
Hodge activiated, Brown to Iowa (adds an arm to the pen before you bring up Shota on Thursday) I thought Brown was the Shota option, good or bad start—but with the Hodge news that moves up two days
Then on Thursday—my guess
Shota activated and either Fulmer or Brasier DFA OR Pomeranz to IL (back)
—or there may be a different, sneaky IL move in there somewher
Brown’s next start will be in Iowa. They just can’t risk putting him out there til he figures it out. And Hoyer has got to make some moves. Even if Shota and Hodge come back strong, it’s not enough. Starter(s), BP arm(S) and serious bench help..
Ah here come the panic button people. Much like a Basketball game is an exercise in runs and counter runs a Baseball season is a game of winning streaks and losing streaks. Back and forth. I’m not putting any more worry into it now as opposed to when they were winning and everyone was crowing. It’s gonna happen. Live with it. Tomorrow is another day. As far as Brown goes I don’t know how sending him down is going to help him learn to pitch to MLB hitters but OK, It seems to be the consensus. Horton has 5 pitches and is doing well and Brown isn’t. He probably needs to go down and work on his change up to be better. Most of his struggles have been in the first inning so making him a reliever seems like a joke. A high end bullpen arm and a LH bat they’ve needed all year so now panic? LOL. Good luck trying to find a Starter to replace Steele without a ridiculous overpay or striking gold in a sewer. You have as much chance of doing either.
Brasier looks good 👍
Bullpen Jenga! Catch it!
Bullpen Jedga.
I didn’t think they’d make this move unless there was another injury, but I’m wondering if they are going to option Hodge when his official rehab is over to continue pitching regularly. Otherwise, somebody is getting DFA or traded.
As it is, someone has to go when Imanaga comes back this week, although they may send Horton back to Iowa to control his innings through the ASB. He can throw 80 low stress pitches every Saturday to stay sharp, and come back for the fifth game after the All Star Break.
Either he or Ben Brown (depending on how he looks tonight).
This move puts the cubbies over the top. Hoyer needs his contract extension NOW!!!!
Its almost a guarantee he pitches better now that hes out from under Sox management
It’s pathetic and ridiculous people like you think the way you do.
Brewers and red birds haven’t and not now need to do anything to stay with these cubs unless cubs put up 10 plus runs a game not with that pitching staff even with managa. Brown would be back in minors himself but hoyer and counsell have no choice.
Bruce, especially with this move of Fulmer….Brown will be optioned to iowa when Shota comes back Thursday.
And additionally rea looks as if he’s running out of gas!
The Cubs currently have the 9h best bullpen ERA in MLB. 14th best tarter ERA. They need Imanaga to be good and at least one more sub-3.50 starter.
Another sub 3.50 starter won’t come cheap.
Doesn’t matter. They need a solid starter and a BP and I think will make it happen. You don’t trade for Tucker and gold like a lily at the deadline.
On my phone and dropped a couple words there.. but you get it
I’m not so sure of the 9th best bullpen bronyaur. Maybe before they got torpedoed against Seattle. The site I typically use has them at 26th. insidethepen.com/bullpen-rankings.html
Maybe different data points and analysis depending on sites.
Just a clarification. I meant to write 10th in ranking. Currently 26th ranked over the past 7 days. Sorry.
Pomeranz being 2-1 with an ERA of 0.00 is a fun little stat
Is Pearson hanging around on a 40 man roster solely by hype at this stage?
Where is that vaunted cubs offense tonight- is it homer or nothing cubs with brown finally throwing decent game to start.
Cards are beating cubs like mariners at homers.
Give hoyer extension now before too late!
Jed needs to hurry up and get a starter maybe two after Ben Brown’s start Tonight
Wasted $8(wifi fee) on my flight home to watch the Cubs game
The cubs are a tease!
Who’s to take browns spot in rotation? What choices does hoyer have now and every team out there looking to trade is looking to fleece cubs. Maybe answer is internal- Assad last month maybe or Steele next year?
Imanaga most likely. Brown gonna be sent down to Iowa. Even though a lot of people want him DFA’d. Which doesn’t make sense when 1. He has options and just needs a 3rd pitch. Be it a slider or splitter. He’ll never succeed as a starter with 2 pitches
Agreed. No way brown gets DFA’d
Patches Hoyer has a nice ring to it, kinda like a clown watching his act about to fail.
Gallen and Suarez welcome to Wrigleyville!
Absolutely amazing cubs have had no more than 3 game losing streak given that their whole pitching staff is so patchwork due to injuries, etc. is that luck running out?