Chicago Cubs With Quick Pivot in Bullpen Personnel
The Chicago Cubs have made a transaction to try and help out their bullpen for their series against division rival St. Louis. After bringing up Nate Pearson earlier in the week, the Cubs made a quick pivot on the hard-throwing right-hander and optioned him back to AAA Iowa in favor of a familiar face to the organization.
Michael Fulmer is back with the Chicago Cubs bullpen after spending the last season-plus in the Boston Red Sox organization. The veteran righty is hoping to reclaim a spot in the bullpen and perform as well if not better than he did in 2023, when he was one of the most crucial members of the Chicago Cubs pitching staff.
Chicago Cubs Bring Back Michael Fulmer
One thing you can’t say about the Chicago Cubs’ President of Baseball Operations, Jed Hoyer, and the entire front office, is that they are reticent to make change this season. In a contract year for the regime, they have shown themselves to be quick to pivot and try out things to put the best 26 ball players on the roster for Craig Counsell’s disposal.
The latest example of this came over the weekend when the team announced that they optioned Pearson back to AAA after the flame-throwing right-hander made just one appearance back with the major league squad. The team thought that his outing Sunday against the Mariners warranted a demotion, in favor of a familiar face.
The Chicago Cubs have decided to recall Fulmer and put him in the bullpen. Fulmer spent the 2023 season with the Chicago Cubs and pitched very effectively. The end of his 2023 campaign was marred by injury and inflated his overall numbers, but he showed enough to parlay his success into a contract with the Boston Red Sox, who never got to see similar production.
Fulmer missed much of his Boston tenure with the UCL injury that hampered the end of his 2023 season and was designated for assignment after just one appearance for the Red Sox this season. The Cubs pounced and signed him to a minor-league deal earlier this season.
When asked about the addition of Fulmer Counsell offered, “He’s been pitching well in Iowa. Has pitched length in Iowa, not as a starter necessarily, but multiple-inning relief outings. So, he’s in a place to do something similar to what like Chris Flexen has kind of done and obviously experienced, so happy to have him.” The Chicago Cubs are hoping that Fulmer can fit the bill of a versatile utility bullpen arm as the season trucks along toward the All-Star Break and pitching staffs become overtaxed. While Pearson and a slew of other fringe signings by the front office haven’t solidified that role, the team is giving Fulmer a chance to the role and run with it.
Familiarity On the North Side
It’s been almost two full years since Fulmer toed the rubber for the Chicago Cubs, but after the veteran was designated for assignment by the Boston Red Sox earlier this season, a reunion made sense for the 32-year-old and the Cubs organization. Fulmer signed a deal with Chicago on April 22 and reported to AAA Iowa. Commenting on his decision to come back to the Cubs, Fulmer said, “I think familiarity was a big thing. Bottom line, I just loved my time here in ’23. Loved the people, love the staff.” In 2023, Fulmer was a key contributor for the Cubs pitching staff, going 3-5 with a 4.42 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 57 innings across 58 appearances.
While no ball player wants to go back to the minors after experiencing the heights of major league action like Fulmer has in his seven MLB seasons, he saw utility in starting back with the Cubs in the minors. “The main thing was getting game reps again and trying to pitch on a more consistent basis down there,” Fulmer said. In the two months he spent in AAA, Fulmer appeared in 15 games, going 1-0 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 24.1 innings of work. He will now have the chance to reclaim his spot in the Chicago Cubs bullpen, something that Counsell is happy about.
“You know he’s went through a lot, you know he’s sticking with it,” Counsell said. “It’s a sign of what you’re made of, I think. It really is. I know moments like getting back to the big leagues are important, and they validate a lot of the hard work and a lot of the rehabs and a lot of the things like that. You’re happy for guys like Michael who get a shot again.”
While Fulmer gets another crack at the big leagues, he has a short amount of time to prove himself. His former teammate Porter Hodge is expected to be healthy enough to make a return to the bullpen soon, meaning someone will lose their spot, and Fulmer could be a prime candidate.
