Cubs Sign RHP Michael Fulmer to Minors Deal
Former Cubs great Michael Fulmer could become a current Cubs great if he pitches well enough in Iowa to earn a spot on the 40-man roster. As first reported by Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register, the Cubs have signed a starter-turned-reliever to a minor league deal. The 2016 Rookie of the Year with the Tigers, Fulmer ran into all kinds of injury issues that derailed his career as a starter.
His 2018 season was truncated by a left oblique strain and then a torn meniscus in his right knee. He then missed all of 2019 due to preseason Tommy John surgery and came back as an opener in 2020, which is to say his starts were limited to three or fewer innings. After starting out in more of a hybrid role in 2021, Fulmer found renewed success by moving exclusively to the bullpen.
He made 58 appearances for the Cubs in 2023, pitching 57 innings and registering two saves with a 4.42 ERA and 65 strikeouts. A UCL revision surgery caused him to miss all of 2024, but he signed a two-year deal with the Red Sox nonetheless. He made just one appearance for Boston, tossing 2.2 innings and allowing three runs on four hits and two walks. After being DFA’d and clearing waivers, Fulmer chose to rejoin the Cubs.
Front offices are always searching for pitching depth, even during the season, but Jed Hoyer’s latest acquisitions of Fulmer and Drew Pomeranz have a faint whiff of dairy products creeping well past their expiry. They’re not necessarily bad moves given the low risk involved, but it’s hard to see either really moving the needle in any way. I’d love to be wrong, but the best-case scenario seems to be that one or both of these guys could keep a seat warm for Cade Horton.
As we’ve discussed here many times, there’s a sense that the Cubs will keep Horton stretched out for a while in Iowa before having him debut in the majors as a reliever. The hard-throwing righty made his first start in good weather on Wednesday afternoon, going 4.2 scoreless innings with two hits and a walk to five strikeouts. It doesn’t appear he’s got too much left to prove in the minors, but the Cubs are in no rush to move him up.
