Cubs Sign Former AL Rookie of the Year to Boost Bullpen

The Boston Red Sox chapter in Michael Fulmer’s story won’t feature much in the way of on-field action. 

But the Chicago Cubs are hopeful that the work Fulmer put in off the field while a member of the Red Sox have put him on a track for success. 

Fulmer signed a minor league deal with the Cubs on Wednesday, less than a week after he was designated for assignment by the Red Sox.  

Michael Fulmer Missed Entire 2024 Season After Tommy John Surgery

The signing marks a reunion for Fulmer.  

Now 32, Fulmer had his last full, healthy season in 2023 when he was working out of the Cubs’ bullpen. That year, he threw 57 innings with a 4.42 ERA, racked up a 27.4% strikeout rate, and issued walks at an 11.8% clip.  

But that run came to a halt after the season ended, as Fulmer had to undergo a UCL procedure on his right elbow that October, which sidelined him for the entire 2024 season. 

Fulmer would sign a two-year minor league deal with the Red Sox and spent all of 2024 rehabbing within their system. He was throwing off of a mound by October of last year and expressed optimism that he would be ready to go by spring training. 

Despite working primarily as a reliever since the 2021 season, Fulmer was stretched out as a multi-inning option during the spring by Boston, and he opened the 2025 season in the rotation for Triple-A Worcester. In 11.2 innings, Fulmer posted a 3.09 ERA with 18 strikeouts against six walks.  

With Boston experiencing multiple injuries in the pitching staff, Boston called Fulmer up on April 13. He appeared in just one game, giving up three runs on four hits and two walks in 2.2 innings late in a blowout loss to Tampa. 

On April 18, the Red Sox designated Fulmer for assignment to open a spot for another pitcher, Hunter Dobbins, to join the big league squad. Two days later, Fulmer cleared waivers and was scheduled to be outrighted off Boston’s 40-man roster, but Fulmer chose to become a free agent rather than accept the outright assignment. 

Michael Fulmer Joins Cubs Team With Pitching Issues

Now he joins a Cubs team that has had struggles throughout their pitching staff, which ranks 19th in MLB with a team ERA of 4.17. Colin Rea has somewhat softened the initial blow of losing Justin Steele for the season with an elbow injury, but the Chicago bullpen has been particularly bad. 

After four seasons as a starter, including a Rookie of the Year campaign in 2016, when he went 11-7 with a 3.06 ERA for the Detroit Tigers, Fulmer was a reliable, effective reliever for three seasons. With the Cubs in 2023, he went 3-5 with a 4.42 ERA, striking out 65 batters in 57 innings.