06-20-2019, 02:18 AM
LAKELAND Jesus Aguilar Jersey , Fla. (AP) — When Michael Fulmer arrived in the major leagues in 2016, his impact was impressive and immediate.Now, the Detroit right-hander will settle for steady progress.Three years after that sparkling debut season, Fulmer is at a bit of a crossroads. He won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2016 but has struggled to return to that form, especially last year, when he went 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA. His 2018 season ended a bit early because of knee problems, and Fulmer — who turns 26 this month — has been working on some mechanical adjustments in response to his injuries.“I think last year, performance-wise, I wasn’t a hundred percent all the way through the season, and I think it showed,” he said Monday. “This year, we’re trying to kind of redo everything and get to be pain free, which I am. I’m blessed for that, and I think everything else will kind of build up.”Fulmer pitched three innings in Monday’s 9-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Kolten Wong led off with a home run that carried up to an elevated walkway behind the bullpen in right field. That was the only run off Fulmer.“He felt really good with the ball coming out of his hand,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “The second and third inning, really good. It was coming out nice, his changeup http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authent...cia-jersey , his breaking ball, so that’s what you’re looking for. Now, whether the velocity gets going with it, who knows?”Fulmer’s velocity has been a big topic. The pitch Wong hit for a home run was just 91 mph, according to the reading at the ballpark. But Fulmer figures he has enough time to build up to higher speeds as the season approaches.“I’m not worried about it,” he said. “If it keeps going up every outing, then we’ll be spot on.”The Tigers acquired Fulmer in 2015 when they traded Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets. Shortly after Fulmer arrived in the majors in 2016, he went on a run of nine straight starts allowing no more than one earned run.That peak would have been hard for any pitcher to sustain, but Fulmer finished with an 11-7 record and a 3.06 ERA, beating Gary Sanchez of the Yankees for Rookie of the Year. He was 10-12 with a 3.83 ERA in 2017, earning an All-Star nod, but last season raised questions about both his health and his ability to pitch like an ace over the long term.Right now, Fulmer has a lot to prove. His health seems fine. His fastball is a work in progress. Both will be under scrutiny over the next few weeks.“He’s the only person that knows if he’s going to have a little extra, and we just have to give it time,” Gardenhire said. “This is spring training, so he’s got plenty of time. He’s going to have quite a few more starts.”NOTES: The Tigers have all 40-man roster players under contract for 2019 after announcing deals right-handers Victor Alcantara, Sandy Baez Travis Shaw Jersey , Buck Farmer, Reed Garrett, Eduardo Jimenez, Joe Jimenez, Franklin Perez, Zac Reininger, Spencer Turnbull and Drew VerHagen; left-handers Ryan Carpenter, Jose Fernandez, Matt Hall, Gregory Soto and Daniel Stumpf; catchers Grayson Greiner and John Hicks; infielders Sergio Alcantara, Jeimer Candelario, Willi Castro, Brandon Dixon, Niko Goodrum, Dawel Lugo and Ronny Rodríguez; and outfielders JaCoby Jones, Mikie Mahtook, Dustin Peterson http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authent...cia-jersey , Victor Reyes and Christin Stewart. BOSTON (AP) — The Red Sox were still shaking hands on the field when the “106” went up in the win column of the AL East standings that are posted on the Green Monster.Scoreboards flashed “106 Wins.” Fans waved signs to celebrate breaking a record that has stood as long as Fenway Park itself.“You think about all the history of the game and the history of this franchise,” Boston manager Alex Cora said after the Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 on Monday night to earn their record 106th victory and clinch home-field advantage through the postseason.“To be part of this, I can’t even explain it. We should call timeout and enjoy this one,” said Cora, who is in his first year as manager. “We know what we want to do in October, but this one … for us to do it is amazing.”Mookie Betts had a pair of hits to leave his major league-best batting average at .343, and Nathan Eovaldi struck out 10 hapless batters to assure the Red Sox of the best record in the major leagues this season and home-field advantage through the World Series, if they make it that far.For now, they know they will open the Division Series at Fenway Park on Oct. 5 against the winner of the AL wild-card game between the New York Yankees and (most likely) Oakland.“I know how it gets here in the playoffs,” said Cora, who played on the team from 2006-08 and was a bench coach with the Astros when they beat Boston in the divisional round last year. “It’s a special place, and it’s a tough place for the visitors in the postseason.”The 1912 Red Sox won 105 games in their first season at Fenway Park.PEP TALKSCora said he spoke to the team after the game, and so did injured second baseman Dustin Pedroia, the longest-tenured member of the team.“Enjoy it,'” Betts recalled Cora saying. “We’ve got a great group of guys, a special group of guys. Finish out strong before the playoffs start.”LOSING SIDEThe Orioles (45-111) matched the franchise record for defeats set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns, who went 43-111. They became the sixth AL team and the first since the 2003 Tigers to lose 111 games Robin Yount Jersey , falling 60½ games behind Boston (106-51) in the division. It’s the first time since 1939 that teams separated by 60 wins in the standings have played each other.Renato Nunez had three hits for the Orioles, who fell to 2-15 against Boston and 18-61 on the road this season.HOW THEY SCOREDBoston scored four in the second inning, getting back-to-back doubles from Steve Pearce and Brock Holt, an RBI single from Christian Vazquez and Betts’ two-run homer over the Green Monster. It was the 32nd homer of the season for Betts, a new career high.Betts also singled and scored in Boston’s two-run fourth, moving him into the major-league lead with 125 runs. In his last three games, he is 10 for 16 with three homers and four doubles, and he leads teammate J.D. Martinez (.328) in the AL batting race.FOR STARTERSSix days after throwing six scoreless innings against the Yankees, Eovaldi (6-7) allowed one run on four hits in five innings, walking none but throwing a pair of wild pitches.Baltimore starter Dylan Bundy (8-16) gave up four runs, five hits and three walks in three innings, striking out five.TRAINER’S ROOMOrioles: RHP Yefrey Ramirez is scheduled to start on Wednesday, but manager Buck Showalter said he wanted to give him an extra day or two. “I think Yefrey will pitch again, I just don’t know when,” Showalter said.Red Sox: SS Xander Bogaerts was back in the lineup after feeling soreness in his left shoulder during a swing and leaving Sunday night’s game. … INF Eduardo Nunez ran on Sunday to test his hamstring and was scheduled to run again on Monday with the goal of having him back in the lineup by Wednesday or Friday.UP NEXTLHP David Price (15-7) tries to bounce back from a rough start in Yankee Stadium in the second game of the series in what could be his last start of the regular season. RHP Jimmy Yacabonis (0-2) will start for Baltimore