Michael

Fulmer

Fulmer is out for all of 2024 after underdoing UCL surgery, so the two-year deal will give him a chance to earn a spot in the Red Sox bullpen in 2025. The deal includes a $1.5 million major league salary in both years, provided he is able to work his way back and onto the 40-man roster. The deal also has incentives that can reach $2 million in 2025. Fulmer had a 4.42 ERA in 57 innings for the Cubs last season, but he bounced back really well after a poor start to the year. From June 1st on, he had a 2.45 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 33 innings. He has experience closing games and could fill spots vacated by Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin, who are not under contract for 2025.

Fulmer came into the 2023 season with a decent shot at winning the Cubs’ closer job. However, he posted a 6.57 ERA in April, and an even worse 8.38 ERA in May, to watch that opportunity vanish. The 30-year-old righty rebounded with a 2.45 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 33 innings from June 1st on. Unfortunately, he’s going to miss the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing a major elbow procedure.

Fulmer landed on the injured list in mid-September with a right forearm strain, and the move to the 60-day is only procedural in nature. The 30-year-old finishes with a 4.42 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 65/28 K/BB ratio across 57 innings this season.

Once again, Fulmer lands on the injured list with a forearm issue. He made just one appearance — working 2/3 of an inning against the Rockies on September 11 — in-between stints on the injured list. Daniel Palencia was recalled from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move on Saturday.

On the same day that he was activated from the injured list, Cubs’ skipper David Ross entrusted a one-run lead to Fulmer after the Cubs rallied to take the lead in the top half of the ninth inning. He made things a bit interesting — allowing a one-out walk to Elias Diaz and then plunking Elehuris Montero — but he wound up striking out the other three hitters that he faced to close it out. Fulmer now sports a 4.42 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 65/28 K/BB ratio across 57 innings on the season.

Fulmer had been out since Aug. 24 with a forearm strain. He could get some work in late-game situations with Adbert Alzolay, but it seems unlikely that he’ll be for the first option for saves. Fulmer has a 4.47 ERA and a 63/27 K/BB ratio in 56 1/3 innings for the year.

Fulmer hit the IL last weekend due to a right forearm strain, an issue he had been managing for a while. If the rest gets him over the hump, he could potentially return in September.

The move clears a spot for Jordan Wicks on the active roster. It’s unclear how much time Fulmer will need to miss. The 30-year-old has been tagged for six runs in 9 1/3 innings of work this month.

The right-hander — who opened the season as the Cubs’ closer — has struggled to a 4.43 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and a 46/21 K/BB ratio over 42 2/3 innings on the season. He has plenty of experience starting games, so this shouldn’t be anything new for him.

We’re not sure what Fulmer was doing in the game in the first place, considering that he pitched both Saturday and Sunday and gave up three runs in the latter game. That David Ross is holding back Mark Leiter Jr. for ninth-inning leads that rarely come seems like an awful tactic. He also could have had Adbert Alzolay pitch a second inning after his scoreless sixth tonight. As is, the struggling Fulmer has made as many appearances the last three days as Leiter and Alzolay, probably the Cubs’ best performing relievers, have totaled in the last eight days.