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Michael Fulmer Signing Signals Genius Yankees Bullpen Strategy
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- Michael Fulmer Signing Signals Genius Yankees Bullpen Strategy
The Yankees were criticized for not adding to the bullpen in the offseason and again at the Aug. 3 trade deadline when they acquired Heliot Ramos and Luis Garcia Jr.
Not many relief pitchers were moved at the frenzied deadline, and to get reinforcements, the Yankees embraced randomness, signing Michael Fulmer to a minor league contract on Aug. 25 before changing that deal to a major league contract while Fulmer was waiting for a connecting flight at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
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The reason? Big leaguer Fernando Cruz was diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament that certainly will cost him the rest of this season and possibly result in Tommy John surgery.
While Fulmer has the distinction of being an All-Star and a rookie of the year, plus he was a former top prospect good enough to get traded by the Mets for Yoenis Cespedes in 2015, his stat line more recently is a bit uninspiring to fans.
Sep 11, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Michael Fulmer (32) pitches in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Fulmer has become a journeyman since leaving Detroit
If this were 2021 or 2022, the Yankees might not be criticized for trading for Michael Fulmer .
Back then, Fulmer was a few years removed from Tommy John surgery and an effective high-leverage arm for the Tigers, who were early in their rebuild under manager A.J. Hinch.
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Instead, at those deadlines, the Yankees found success with acquiring Clay Holmes in 2021, and less success with Scott Effross, Lou Trivino, and Clayton Beeter, a collection of moves that is evidence of how random relief pitching can be.
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Starting with his trade to Minnesota at the 2022 deadline, Fulmer's Baseball-Reference page shows 16 transactions , not including the times he was designated for assignment.
His time with the Angels ended, despite three scoreless appearances for the Angels, because the team needed a roster spot to activate Yusei Kikuchi from the injured list. Fulmer was the odd man out.
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"Just trying to figure out what teams want," Fulmer told me and other New York media members in the clubhouse on Aug 26. "This will be my seventh organization in the last two years, unfortunately. I've been around the whole country just trying to find a place to stick."
In a locker next to Gerrit Cole's prominent location, Fulmer explained the Yankees were the first to reach out to him after his time with the Angels ended on Aug. 22.
"As soon as I cleared, the Yankees were the first team to call, which I value quite a bit, a team that's showing interest like that," Fulmer said.
Those words were spoken before manager Aaron Boone vowed to use his new arm in a big spot, despite his journeyman status.
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"They're probably going to jump into the deep end," Boone said. "It's that time of year. The reality is, on any given day, they're going to find themselves in leverage situations."
That high leverage situation was the eighth inning with a four-run lead, with Fulmer set to face Yordan Alvarez, Issac Paredes and Jose Altuve, regardless of the score.
Despite the tough bats, the 33-year-old easily made a successful debut, becoming the latest name to join the bullpen via a small transaction.
Yankees embrace less heralded relievers
The Yankees have not shelled out big money for relievers since retaining Zack Britton on a three-year, $39 million deal following the 2018 season, capping a four-year stretch when they signed Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller to contracts worth a combined $122 million
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Instead, they operate along the transaction margins. These days, the main setup crew behind closer David Bednar is Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn .
Headrick joined the Yankees as a waiver claim from the Twins in Feb. 2025 and appeared 17 times last season. This year, he is second in the majors with 68 appearances. He allowed three runs in the Aug. 25 loss, causing his ERA to increase to 4.63 in his past 13 outings, which will likely lead to the Yankees monitoring his workload.
Similar to Fulmer, Blackburn is a former All-Star and first-round pick. Drafted by the Cubs in 2012, he found his way to the A's and was their All-Star representative in 2022.
He was traded to the Mets in 2024 but was not healthy and made available on waivers a little over a year ago, allowing the Yankees to sign him and get him to New York after extensive flight delays .
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He was not a high-leverage arm last season, and he wasn't someone fans wanted to see early this season.
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Now, however, he is a trusted bridge to the closer, as evidenced by 29 of 51 appearances coming in the seventh or beyond, emerging as an unexpected safety valve to get big outs into the playoff run.
Even before Blackburn and Headrick, there was Tim Hill. A waiver claim from the White Sox in 2024, Hill quickly emerged into the circle of trust, and by the World Series, many wondered why he did not face Freddie Freeman in Game 1 when Nestor Cortes allowed a game-ending grand slam.
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And even before Hill, there was Luke Weaver, who joined the Yankees as a waiver claim in Sept. 2023, at the end of a miserable season. A year later, he closed games in the 2024 playoffs and was used in big spots last season before signing with the Mets.
Relief pitching has never been more random due to injuries and attrition, and Fulmer may prove to be the latest evidence of Yankees success with smaller transactions at the position.
This story was originally published by Lindys Sports on Aug 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Lindys Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
