The Yankees took a swing on Michael Fulmer late in August because they needed another arm, and the early returns have already looked a lot like the risk baked into the move.
Fulmer signed a major league contract on Aug. 26 to join New York’s bullpen, despite having made just six big-league appearances since the start of last season and not pitching at all in 2024. He flashed a little promise at first, throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings over his first two outings. But the last three have gone sideways, with four runs allowed, two earned, and a rough showing against the San Diego Padres setting up more concern.
That carried into Saturday, when the Yankees were protecting a 5-1 lead and turned to Fulmer in the sixth inning. He couldn’t land the zone, walked two batters on 20 pitches, and got only two outs before Aaron Boone had seen enough and went to lefty Brent Headrick.
Aaron Boone let out a "fuck" as Michael Fulmer struggled to find the strike zone pic.twitter.com/Itqduutelf
- Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 6, 2026
For a club with World Series aspirations, that’s the downside of leaning on a pitcher who was sitting on the scrapheap. Fulmer, 33, had not worked a full major league season since 2023, when he posted a 4.42 ERA in 58 appearances for the Chicago Cubs. He then missed the entire 2024 campaign after UCL revision surgery.
New York’s bullpen needs help, but Fulmer is not the kind of arm the Yankees can expect to carry meaningful innings down the stretch. They also claimed right-hander John Schreiber off waivers from the Kansas City Royals, though his profile is very different. Schreiber has put up a 3.65 ERA in 55 appearances this season, and right-handed hitters are batting just .135 against him.
The bigger issue for the Yankees is the state of the pitching staff around Fulmer. Fernando Cruz is out with a partially torn UCL, and Boone said Cruz will first try the conservative route and could begin throwing in the next few days. Even so, Tommy John surgery remains a possibility, and Boone said that is the more likely outcome.
Those injuries have forced the Yankees to patch together the bullpen with moves like Fulmer and Schreiber, but more help could come later. Once the postseason arrives, starters such as Ryan Weathers and Clarke Schmidt are expected to shift into relief when they return from the IL. Will Warren already worked as a piggyback arm for Max Fried on Friday night, and the Yankees recently called up 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil to give them another hard-throwing option out of the bullpen.
There are answers in the building, but the group is still unfinished. Fulmer looks more like a temporary bridge than someone the Yankees can trust in October’s biggest spots.
In Other News...
Yankees Have A Surprise Pitching Option As Return Timelines Drag On
The Yankees have a roster puzzle on their hands, and it is growing more complicated as two key pieces work their way back. Rookie right-hander Elmer Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A, opening a path for the club to look at Trevor MacGregor, a non-roster pitcher with no major league experience, as a possible stopgap on the staff.
Aaron Judge and Clarke Schmidt are both expected back soon, but neither is ready to be activated yet because each still has rehab work to complete. New York also does not have an open spot on its 40-man roster, so any return will require a corresponding move, which means the Yankees may need some short-term creativity before the more obvious reinforcements are actually available. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Just Reopened A Giancarlo Stanton Decision That Changes Everything
Giancarlo Stantons rehab has taken another turn, and it keeps the Yankees in a familiar holding pattern. Aaron Boone said Stanton has not been ruled out for the season after the slugger dealt with a right-calf strain, and Stanton has already been back to hitting in practice. For a team that has had to juggle injuries and roster fit all year, the mere possibility of getting him back in the mix is enough to keep the conversation alive.
The catch is that there is still no obvious path for Stanton to return right away. The Yankees do not currently have room on the roster, so any move involving him will have to wait on a combination of injuries and other roster decisions. With Stantons contract and age already prompting questions about what comes next, this latest update does more than answer his short-term health status. It reopens a bigger organizational decision the Yankees did not exactly ask to revisit. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Still Face One Aaron Judge Concern Boone Couldnt Dodge
The Yankees left California with a split on the trip after a 4-3 loss to the Padres, and the focus quickly turned back to Aaron Judge and where his return stands. Judge has been out since May 31 with a stress fracture in his right rib, but he has started taking important steps forward again, including batting practice and defensive work as he ramps back up.
Elmer Rodrguez was optioned to Triple-A to create a roster spot, but the club still has not put a date on Judges comeback. He is expected to face live pitching soon, which is the kind of checkpoint that usually clarifies a recovery timeline, yet the Yankees are still waiting for the final piece before they can say when their captain might rejoin the lineup. [Read more 🡒]