Fulmer on track for midseason return

The Tigers are hoping to have top prospects Casey Mize and Matt Manning in position to knock on Detroit’s door for big-league debuts late next season. They could also have Michael Fulmer to add back into the mix by then.

Fulmer remains on track for what a midseason return as he rehabs back from Tommy John surgery, according to Tigers general manager Al Avila. He’s currently working out daily at the Tigers’ Spring Training facility in Lakeland, including throws from flat ground.

“He’s on track. He’s doing very well,” Avila said. “He should be able to pitch in games sometime in July.”

That’s in line with the timetable the Tigers medical staff gave at the time the injury was diagnosed last Spring Training. Fulmer underwent surgery in late March. The 15-month timetable has always been longer than some other recoveries in order to give Fulmer ample time to rehab and build up his arm.

Fulmer is eligible for arbitration for a second time. Last offseason, he became the first Tiger since 2001 to go to an arbitration hearing. The ensuing ruling awarded him a $2.8 million salary.

If Fulmer returns in time for a stretch run, how he pitches will make his situation interesting to follow for 2021. The Tigers likely won’t push him hard; they usually don’t with starters a year removed from Tommy John surgery. The emphasis will be on putting him in position for a bounceback in 2021, his second year post-surgery, which is usually when pitchers get back to previous performance.

On the flip side, 2021 will be Fulmer’s next-to-last season before free agency. Again, it’ll also be at a time when the Tigers could have Mize, Manning and other pitching prospects (Beau Burrows?) pushing to claim spots in Detroit’s rotation. If Matthew Boyd and Daniel Norris are still around, Detroit could have a rotation logjam to settle.