Cubs sign righthanded reliever Michael Fulmer

There have been rumors lately — actually, really all offseason — that the Cubs weren’t done adding veteran relievers.

Today, there’s a report that they have signed another one:

Michael Fulmer was a first-round pick (44th overall) of the Mets in 2011 and was traded to the Tigers in 2015 for Yoenis Cespedes.

The Tigers tried him as a starter with middling success and then he missed all of the 2019 season with Tommy John surgery. By 2021 he had been moved to the bullpen in Detroit and since then, he has become a solid middle reliever, including in 2022 for the Tigers and Twins — he was traded to Minnesota at last year’s deadline. Overall last year Fulmer posted a 3.39 ERA and 1.366 WHIP in 67 appearances covering 63⅔ innings. He walked 28 and struck out 61.

Here is Fulmer’s pitch selection chart from 2022:

Statcast

As you can see, he can throw fastballs (both sinkers and four-seamers) at about 94, but his go-to pitch is the slider, which he uses almost two-thirds of the time.

Fulmer turns 30 next month. This is a good veteran pickup, in my view, though the Cubs still are in the market for a lefthander. There’s no word yet on the salary terms for Fulmer and I will update this article when they are available.

The Cubs’ 40-man roster is full so someone will have to be run through waivers when this signing is made official.