Remember Michael Fulmer? Ex-Rookie of the Year with Tigers on comeback trail with Red Sox
Right-hander Michael Fulmer won the American League Rookie of the Year in 2016, made the All-Star Game in 2017, underwent right knee surgery in 2018, battled through Tommy John surgery in 2019, endured a career-worst performance in 2020 and transitioned from struggling starter to dominant reliever in 2021.
The Detroit Tigers were his team for all of those moments, having acquired him from the New York Mets as the headliner of two prospects in the return for All-Star outfielder Yoenis Céspedes at the July 2015 trade deadline.
In 2025, Fulmer pitches for the Boston Red Sox.
The now-32-year-old returned Feb. 27 to his old stomping grounds at the TigerTown spring training complex in Lakeland, Florida. He pointed out to his Red Sox teammates the aircraft hangars next to the Joker Marchant Stadium parking lot — the spot where the Tigers used to bring players for picture day social media content.
"I was telling some guys," Fulmer said. "That's where we had picture day and content week. It was about 120 degrees in there, and we were in our turtlenecks."
Established MLB players typically skip the 110-mile trip from Fort Myers to Lakeland in spring training, especially in the first couple weeks of games. Instead, prospects and minor leaguers are usually chosen by the Red Sox to make the two-and-a-half-hour journey to face the Tigers.
But Fulmer was on the travel list.
"Sometimes you got to start over," Fulmer said.
He smiled.
"It's fine," he added.
Fulmer, a seven-year MLB veteran, signed a two-year minor-league contract with the Red Sox in February 2024, locking him in for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He hasn't pitched in the majors since Sept. 11, 2023, with the Chicago Cubs.
He missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery to fix the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
Fulmer thought about retiring from baseball.
"It crept in my head," said Fulmer, who worked as a part-time plumber during several falls and winters early in his MLB career. "The rehab process for all this stuff, it's a long time, but the success rate is just through the roof now for it."
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Both Tommy John surgeries — the first in March 2019, the second in October 2023 — were performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas.
"Repeat customer," Fulmer said. "He answered my text."
Not only is Meister the head team physician for the Texas Rangers, but he's also regarded as the top pitching elbow expert in the world, revolutionizing Tommy John surgery with his techniques to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament.
"He cares about you, and he wants the best for me," Fulmer said. "As of now, my body feels good, my elbow feels good, and I'm ready to go compete."
Fulmer is finally back in competition mode with the Red Sox during 2025 spring training. He's in the mix for a spot on the Opening Day roster, but with his minor league contract, the Red Sox can send him to Triple-A Worcester as pitching depth — whether as a starter or a reliever.
But Fulmer is making a strong case to break camp with the Red Sox.
This spring, Fulmer has a 0.79 ERA with three walks and 12 strikeouts across 11⅓ innings over five appearances. He threw two scoreless innings with two strikeouts against the Tigers on Feb. 27 in Lakeland, then he added two more scoreless innings with three strikeouts on Wednesday against the Tigers in Fort Myers.
"The second one took a little longer than expected," Fulmer said of his rehab from the second Tommy John surgery. "I'm still trying to find some stuff. But if you guys can recall, and I'm sure you can, it took me half a season to get stuff back after the first one. This one, it's just more of a process."
His fastball velocity has maxed out at 94.6 mph in spring training.
It averaged 94.4 mph in 2023.
Fulmer expects his four-seam and two-seam fastballs to sit in the 94-95 mph range when the regular season begins in late March, even after his second Tommy John surgery.
"The biggest transition for me was getting to the mound," Fulmer said, "and all you've done is slow, slow, slow, be careful, be careful, be careful, so you don't have that fast-twitch explosiveness. You can do all this stuff in the weight room, but it's hard to replicate that on the mound. That part of this thing is just going to take reps in spring training games."
With the Red Sox, Fulmer is building up his workload in preparation to return to starting pitching. He requested a starting role when he signed, and Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow provided the opportunity.
However, Fulmer remains open to any role.
"I've always enjoyed the bullpen more," Fulmer said.
Fulmer learned to pitch out of the bullpen in 2021 and 2022 — his final two seasons with the Tigers — under the guidance of pitching coach Chris Fetter and assistant pitching coach Juan Nieves. He also worked as a reliever for the Cubs in 2023.
After another elbow surgery, Fulmer prefers settling into the five-day routine of a starter as he builds his body to full strength. However, now that his arm feels healthy this spring, he won't turn down an opportunity to stick as a reliever — especially if that's what the Red Sox need in the big leagues.
But Fulmer isn't picky about his role.
He just wants to pitch.
"Good to be throwing a baseball again," Fulmer said.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michael Fulmer, ex-Detroit Tigers Rookie of the Year, now with Red Sox
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