Yoenis Cespedes helped the Mets reach the World Series, but the Tigers have to be happy with their end of the July 31 trade.
While the Mets rode Cespedes’ hot bat to their first pennant in 15 years last fall, Michael Fulmer is beginning to show why the Tigers were more than content with what the Mets sent them for Cespedes.
The former Mets prospect dazzled the Old-Timers’ Day crowd Sunday afternoon, extending his scoreless streak to 28 ¹/₃ innings in a 4-1 win over the Yankees in The Bronx. Fulmer twirled six shutout innings, allowing only opposite-field doubles to Austin Romine and Aaron Hicks. Flashing a fastball that sat between 95 and 96 mph and solid secondary stuff, he walked three and struck out three. He hasn’t given up a run since May 21.
“I love where I’m at now. I love this team,” said the 23-year-old Fulmer, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2011 draft. “I’m grateful for the opportunity the Tigers have presented to me.”
The hard-throwing right-hander, who lowered his ERA to 2.52, improved to 7-1 and now has won his last six decisions. In his last five starts, in fact, he has a 0.26 ERA. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the second major league pitcher ever to throw six or more shutout innings and allow three hits or fewer in four consecutive starts. Jake Arrieta of the Cubs is the other.
“The mixture of his pitches [makes him effective],” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “He has been throwing well. His fastball has some sink to it at times and has some cut to it at times. His breaking ball and changeup [are good]. He pitches up pretty effectively.”
Fulmer’s only rough inning was the fifth, when he walked Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner to load the bases for Carlos Beltran with two outs. Beltran, who had struck out in his first two at-bats, flied out to right-center field to end the threat. Fulmer needed only nine pitches to get through the sixth, capping his day at 91 pitches.
While he was disappointed the Mets traded him, Fulmer understood the move. It was important for his career. He was given the opportunity to work through his early-season struggles this spring after getting called up in April, and now he’s become almost unhittable.
“It was nice to be wanted,” Fulmer said. “So far, I’m trying to convince the Tigers that they didn’t make the wrong decision.”