We haven’t really seen many injury updates after the end of the regular season, but they are now starting to trickle out and the first one is brutal for right-handed reliever Michael Fulmer, who is expected to miss the entire 2024 season. Fulmer underwent UCL revision surgery on his right elbow on Wednesday.
Fulmer, 30, signed a one-year contract worth $4 million for the 2023 season. He will be a free agent after the conclusion of the World Series.
Fulmer had a bumpy start to his Cubs stint, blowing a handful of late leads in April and May. However, Fulmer did turn his season around and was actually really damn good when the Cubs also turned their season around as a whole.
From May 28-Aug. 18, Fulmer had a 1.60 ERA in 31 appearances. In 33.2 innings, the right-hander struck out 37 batters, while holding opponents to a .168 average and had a 1.04 WHIP. Outstanding job after Fulmer was getting lit up by Cubs fans after his first five weeks or so on his new team.
The righty started to struggle once again in August, giving up 6 runs in 9.1 innings. Then, on Aug. 26, the Cubs placed Fulmer on the injured list with a forearm strain. He was out for a couple weeks and returned on Sept. 11, against the Colorado Rockies. Fulmer made one appearance after returning from the injured list, a shaky save in Colorado, but obviously he wasn’t actually healthy enough to continue because less than a week later Fulmer was back on the injured list with the same forearm issue that ended his season and now is going to most likely cost him all of 2024.
Fulmer ended his one season with the Cubs posting a 4.42 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, while striking out 65 batters and walking 28 in 57 innings.
