Fulmer scratched from Monday start, could miss WBC

Michael Fulmer will miss his scheduled start for the Tigers on Monday, and possibly a World Baseball Classic assignment, after apparently spraining his right ankle during workouts on Saturday.

Fulmer was slated to make his third start of the spring against the Orioles on Monday, matching up against Dylan Bundy in a showcase of talented young arms. However, he rolled his ankle during agility drills on Saturday, manager Brad Ausmus said.

“He’s going to miss a start,” Ausmus said Sunday morning. “We don’t expect it to be more than one start.”

Ausmus described the injury as a Grade 1 sprain. Fulmer did not undergo an MRI exam, Ausmus said.

One missed start won’t affect Fulmer’s readiness for the regular season. The Tigers have been progressing him slowly anyway to keep an eye on his innings. However, a missed start now is a missed opportunity to build up his pitch count before the World Baseball Classic.

Fulmer is not on the Team USA roster for first-round play next week, but he’s in the Designated Pitcher Pool, meaning he’s eligible to be added for subsequent rounds if the team advances.

“It probably affects his ability to pitch for the USA team in the WBC,” Ausmus said. “Just from a pitch-count perspective, he won’t be up enough.”

Pitchers can throw up to 65 pitches in the first round, progressing to 80 pitches for the second round and 95 for the third. Fulmer threw two innings in his last start Wednesday against the Blue Jays, and has three innings over two starts so far this spring.