In search of another arm or two for the 2018 pennant run, the New York Yankees scout Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Fulmer.
During Thursday afternoon’s Oakland Athletics and Detroit Tigers game, the New York Yankees had scout Jay Darnell observing pitcher Michael Fulmer, according to George King III of the New York Post.
Yankee scout Jay Darnell watching Tiger pitcher Michael Fulmer today in Detroit
— George A. King III (@GeorgeAKingIII) June 28, 2018
The Tigers fell to the A’s by a score of 4-2 and in conjunction, Fulmer suffered the loss against Oakland, allowing four runs on nine hits and striking out five in eight innings pitched.
After Thursday’s start, Fulmer fell to 3-7 with 80 strikeouts and a 4.20 earned run average. In his three year career, he is 24-25 with 321 strikeouts and 3.60 ERA.
Fulmer is only 25-years-old and still has four more years of arbitration eligibility following this season.
He and current Yankee pitcher Luis Cessa were acquired by the Tigers at the 2015 trade deadline in the deal that sent Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets.
Even before the season began, it was clear the Yankees were in the market for a starting pitcher. Masahiro Tanaka being sidelined since early June due to two strained hamstrings and Jordan Montgomery needing season-ending Tommy John Surgery makes the need is greater than it was before.
In place of Tanaka and Montgomery, the Yankees have turned to 25-year-old Domingo German, who currently sports a 2-4 record with a 5.32 ERA in nine starts, and Jonathan Loaisiga, who has a 2-0 record with a 1.93 ERA in three starts.
While both pitchers have had great outings and shown a lot of promise, the team is going to need more for a lengthy playoff run. Yankees principal owner Hal Steinbrenner has even gone as far as publicly stating the team has the flexibility to add more starting pitching.
The Major League Baseball trade deadline is July 31.
