Connect with us

Published

on

CHICAGO — Former American League Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer, returning from Tommy John surgery, was brought up from the minor leagues Sunday when the Boston Red Sox placed right-hander Richard Fitts on the 15-day injured list with a right pectoral strain.

A 32-year-old right-hander, Fulmer has not pitched in the big leagues since 2023 with the Chicago Cubs. He had Tommy John revision surgery on Oct. 18, 2023, signed a minor league contract with Boston the following Feb. 2 and did not pitch last year.

Fulmer had a 0.79 ERA in five spring training appearances for the Red Sox, striking out 12 and walking three in 11⅓ innings. He had a 3.09 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance for Triple-A Worcester, striking out 18 and walking six in 11⅔ innings. His four-seam fastball averaged 92.4 mph.

He won the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year with the Detroit Tigers, had Tommy John surgery on March 27, 2019, and returned to the major leagues on July 27, 2020, just after the start of the pandemic-shortened season.

Fulmer is 37-50 with a 3.94 ERA in 90 starts and 172 relief appearances for the Tigers (2016-22), Twins (2022) and Cubs (2023).

Fulmer’s contract was selected from Worcester. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he expects to use Fulmer out of the bullpen.

Fitts will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his injury, Cora said. The 25-year-old left Saturday’s game against the White Sox with shoulder discomfort as he was facing Miguel Vargas, Chicago’s first hitter in the sixth inning.

Making his seventh big league start, Fitts had a 2-0 lead and allowed two hits. He was in position for his first major league win when he was replaced by Zack Kelly with a 2-2 count on Vargas. Vargas walked, and two batters later Luis Robert Jr. hit a two-run homer,

Chicago went on to win 3-2 on pinch-hitter Brooks Baldwin‘s RBI single in the ninth.

Fitts has a 2.39 ERA in seven starts for the Red Sox over two seasons. He is 0-2 with a 3.18 ERA this year.

Fulmer has a contract paying a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues and $180,000 while in the minors.

He can earn $2 million in performance bonuses for innings and $500,000 for relief appearances. Fulmer would get $50,000 each for 75, 80, 85, 90 and 95 innings, $100,000 apiece for 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140, and $250,000 each for 150, 160, 170, 180 and 190. He would earn $100,000 each for 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 relief appearances.

Continue Reading

Sports

Braves’ Riley on IL; Holmes passes on TJ surgery

Published

on

By

Braves' Riley on IL; Holmes passes on TJ surgery

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley on Monday was placed on the 10-day injured list for the second time in two months with a strained lower abdominal muscle.

Right-hander Grant Holmes, meanwhile, has opted to rehab his injured right elbow rather than undergoing Tommy John surgery, manager Brian Snitker told reporters.

Riley suffered the injury while tagging out Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz near home plate in the Braves’ 4-2 win on Sunday in the rain-delayed MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Riley also landed on the IL on July 12 with a strained abdomen. He returned on July 25.

The Braves recalled infielders Nacho Alvarez Jr. and Jonathan Ornelas from Triple-A Gwinnett before opening a home series against Milwaukee on Monday night. The team optioned outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Gwinnett following Sunday’s game.

Riley is hitting .260 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs.

Snitker said Holmes, who has damage to his UCL, made the decision to not have surgery at the present time after consulting with two doctors. The pitcher could also reconsider and have surgery after the season.

Snitker did not give a timeline as to when Snitker, who was placed on the 60-day injured list on July 27, will begin throwing again. He is not eligible to be activated until Sept. 26.

Holmes is 4-9 with a 3.99 ERA and 123 strikeouts this season. He had 15 strikeouts in a game against the Colorado Rockies in June.

The Braves’ other Opening Day starters also are all on the injured list, with AJ Smith-Shawver out for the season after having Tommy John surgery.

Snitker said All-Star left-hander Chris Sale threw a bullpen session as he works his way back from a fractured rib. He is next scheduled to throw live batting practice.

Reynaldo Lopez, who was placed on the IL on March 29 with shoulder inflammation after one start, is playing catch, but Snitker said there is no timetable for his return.

Spencer Schwellenbach, who is recovering from a fractured elbow, has not resumed throwing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

Astros’ Paredes to forgo season-ending surgery

Published

on

By

Astros' Paredes to forgo season-ending surgery

Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes has opted to forgo season-ending surgery on his strained right hamstring and instead will rehab the injury in an effort to return this season, general manager Dana Brown told reporters Monday.

The 26-year-old Paredes, who is hitting .259 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs this season, was placed on the injured list on July 20 after he was hurt while running to first base. Brown said the injury was “severe.”

Paredes has received a platelet-rich plasma injection and has had multiple rounds of imaging. His rehab stint, which will mostly take place in Houston around the team, will begin after a “long period” of letting the hamstring rest before beginning any sort of exercise, Brown said.

If Paredes undergoes surgery, he likely wouldn’t be able to return for at least six months.

“His whole opinion on this is, he wants to work hard to try to get back this season,” Brown said Monday. “Of course, he’s going to dedicate himself to getting back.”

The Astros were proactive at the trade deadline, acquiring infielder Carlos Correa from the Minnesota Twins. Correa, a Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star in his prior stint with the Astros, has agreed to move from shortstop to third base while Paredes is out of the lineup.

The Astros (62-50) currently lead the AL West with around 50 games remaining in the regular season.

“He’s doing well and he’s working hard,” Astros manager Joe Espada said of Paredes. “He’s in good spirits, and I know he would rather be on the field. We hope for the best.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

Yankees sign veteran Maeda to minor league deal

Published

on

By

Yankees sign veteran Maeda to minor league deal

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees signed right-hander Kenta Maeda to a minor league deal.

New York announced the move Monday. The 37-year-old Maeda had been pitching for Triple-A Iowa, the top minor league affiliate for the Chicago Cubs, but he was released Saturday.

The Yankees assigned Maeda to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Maeda had a 7.88 ERA in seven relief appearances for Detroit before he was designated for assignment on May 1. He went 3-7 with a 6.09 ERA in 17 starts and 12 relief appearances in his first year with the Tigers after agreeing to a $24 million, two-year contract in November 2023.

Maeda pitched well in his last two starts with Iowa, giving up one run and five hits in 12 innings. He went 3-4 with a 4.85 ERA in 12 starts with the Triple-A team.

Maeda made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, going 16-11 with a 3.48 ERA in 32 starts. He went 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 11 starts for Minnesota during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, finishing second in AL Cy Young Award balloting.

Maeda, who sat out the 2022 season because of Tommy John surgery, is 68-56 with a 4.20 ERA in 226 major league games, including 172 starts.

Continue Reading

Trending