The remarkable resilience of a Major League pitcher's career

History · Published 5 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: From a 2016 Rookie of the Year to navigating multiple elbow surgeries, Michael Fulmer’s journey through professional baseball is a study in endurance. Amidst a landscape of high-velocity fastballs and frequent roster shifts, his career reveals the grueling physical and professional realities of the modern game.

Michael Fulmer’s ascent began with a dominant 2016 season for the Detroit Tigers. After being drafted in the first round by the New York Mets in 2011, he was traded to Detroit in 2015 as part of the deal for Yoenis Céspedes. His rookie campaign was historic: he earned the American League Rookie of the Year award from multiple organizations, including the Sporting News and the BBWAA, and achieved a scoreless streak of 33.1 innings, the longest for a Tigers rookie since John Hiller in 1967.

However, the physical toll of pitching at high velocities—averaging 94–97 mph—has been significant. Fulmer has faced a succession of major injuries, including ulnar neuritis in 2017, a torn meniscus in 2018, and Tommy John surgery in 2019. By 2023, he underwent UCL revision surgery, which sidelined him for the 2024 season. These setbacks forced him to navigate a complex series of minor league contracts and roster designations across several organizations, including the Red Sox, Cubs, Twins, and Royals.

Despite the instability of frequent free agency and being designated for assignment, Fulmer has continued to adapt his repertoire. To combat early struggles, he refined a changeup that opponents hit at just a .167 average in 2016, and later reintroduced a high school knuckle curve in 2017. His career remains a testament to the struggle to maintain elite performance through the mechanical and physical volatility of professional baseball.

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