A day before acquiring Garrett Crochet to headline their rotationRed Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow offered an interesting revelation about an under-the-radar member of the organization who could factor into the 2025 pitching mix.
- BETTING: Check out our MA Sports Betting Guidewhere you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read the odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
Speaking at the winter meetings in Dallas on Tuesday, Breslow made that point right-handed pitcher Michael Fulmerwho is nearing the end of his recovery from UCL revision surgery he had on his elbow last October, could be used as a starter next season. That was a minor surprise because Fulmer, the 2016 American League Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in 2017, has worked almost exclusively in relief since 2021. The plan, however, is to see what he can provide as duration option during spring training.
Fulmer entered the majors as a starter and made 85 starts from 2016 to 2020. From 2021 to 2023, he made five starts and 172 relief appearances for Detroit, Minnesota and the Cubs.
“He’s a guy that we actually signed with an eye, once he’s fully healthy, that he built, either as a starting pitcher or someone who can handle bulk innings,” Breslow said. “It’s something we still feel confident about. He’s making pretty good progress throwing pain-free and having a pretty normal offseason at this point. We’re optimistic about both his recovery and the contributions he can make just given the that we saw when he was pitching as a reliever before he got hurt.”
Fulmer, who turns 32 during spring training, went under the knife last fall after posting a 4.42 ERA, 4.15 FIP and a 10/3 K/9 rate in 57 innings out of the Cubs bullpen in 2023. In January, the Red Sox signed him to a two-year minor league contract that would allow him to spend all of 2024 rehabbing and potentially return in 2025.. He spent some time at the team’s complex in Fort Myers and is now at a point where he is ramping up normally.
“There’s definitely a pretty clear path for him to be ready for opening day,” Breslow said. “But at the same time, that doesn’t mean that if it’s not, that means there’s been a major setback that we can point to. Recovery is kind of a long, winding road.”
Fulmer’s contract will pay him $1.5 million if he is on the roster next season and can earn an additional $500,000 through bonuses. Interestingly, earlier this week it was available to all other teams. Fulmer is not on the 40-man roster and is old enough to be Rule 5-eligibleso either club could have picked him in Wednesday’s draft and given him a chance to stay on another roster early next year. The Red Sox protected just two players (prospects Hunter Dobbins and Jhostynxon Garcia) before last month’s deadline and left Fulmer at risk of capture. While there were rumors early Wednesday that other teams were interested, Fulmer was not drafted and stays with the Red Sox.
“We evaluate each of these decisions on a case-by-case basis and look at the combination of ability to affect our team, draft probability and health,” Breslow said before the Rule 5 draft. want is for Fulmer to be pitching for the Boston Red Sox and help them win games.We also understand that we can only protect so many guys and if there’s a team that wants to take a chance, at this point, we can’t a lot.”
The new look of the Red Sox rotation is projected to have Crochet will lead a group that, barring new additions, will include returners Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito.. Behind that top five is a group of depth options that includes Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts, Quinn Priester, Fulmer and perhaps Dobbins later in the season.
Breslow, who worked in the Cubs’ front office during Fulmer’s time there, is excited about the veteran’s potential.
“Michael and I have a relationship that goes back to our time in Chicago,” Breslow said. “Any conversation about Michael starts with just the quality of teammate and human being that he is. I think we’ve seen that in what’s been a really promising road to recovery just knowing that he’s committed to the work that’s required and he’s incredibly diligent”.