The Chicago Cubs have signed a former Rookie of the Year Award recipient.
Chicago agreed to terms on a contract with right-handed pitcher Michael Fulmer. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and The Athletic first reported the deal on Friday afternoon.
“Free-agent right-hander Michael Fulmer in agreement with Cubs,” Rosenthal tweeted.
Free-agent right-hander Michael Fulmer in agreement with Cubs, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 10, 2023
Fulmer played for the Detroit Tigers in 2016 when he won the American League Rookie of the Year award. He posted a 3.06 ERA, 132 strikeouts, and 42 walks in 159.0 innings pitched that season with an 11-7 record. He finished ahead of future All-Stars Gary Sanchez, Edwin Díaz, and Tim Anderson on the ballot.
Since then, Fulmer hasn’t imitated that level of success. While he’s played on several bad Tigers teams, he hasn’t helped himself much. He posted a 4.69 ERA in 2019 in 132.1 innings pitched. He was then out of baseball in 2019 after Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2020 but still has not been able to replicate that success. He has only made 14 starts since then and has mostly pitched as a reliever.
He played for the Tigers and the Minnesota Twins in 2022. He posted a 3.70 ERA with the Twins in 24.1 innings pitched.
So the Cubs will be the first National League team that Fulmer plays for. Against the NL in his career, he’s posted an ERA of 2.65 in 98.2 innings pitched according to Baseball-Reference. Chicago will hope that past success translates into something positive in the bullpen.