The San Francisco Giants have signed right-hander Michael Fulmer to a minor league deal, according to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle. This move comes as the team's bullpen looks notably weaker after trading away key players and dealing with injuries. Fulmer, 33, has had periods of major league success but also lengthy injury interruptions. He was a rotation staple for the Tigers from 2016 to 2018, winning American League Rookie of the Year in the first of those seasons. However, Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2019 season, and he struggled upon his return, moving to the bullpen. He was a fairly effective reliever from 2021 to 2023 but then required a revision surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament, wiping out his 2024 season. Despite these setbacks, Fulmer was back on the mound in 2025 but was mostly stuck in the minors. He briefly got called up to the big leagues by the Red Sox and the Cubs but only made three appearances between those two teams. He pitched in Triple-A for those two clubs as well as the Mariners and Royals last year, throwing a total of 66 1/3 innings with a combined 3.39 earned run average. His 10.5% walk rate was a bit high but he struck out 31% of batters faced. The Giants' bullpen has been weakened by trades and injuries, and Fulmer joins Gregory Santos as experienced non-roster depth, aiming to pitch his way back into a regular big league role. Meanwhile, the Giants' outfield is projected to consist of Harrison Bader, Jung Hoo Lee, and Heliot Ramos, with Jerar Encarnación, Drew Gilbert, Luis Matos, Grant McCray, and others in the mix for bench/depth roles. If some playing time opens up, perhaps Oliva's base running skills can help him earn a bench job. If he eventually gets a roster spot, he still has options. Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images.
