ATLANTA _ Michael Fulmer's spring has gone from bad to worst-case scenario.
After being shut down by the Detroit Tigers last week to "refine his lower-body mechanics," according to manager Ron Gardenhire, a more ominous diagnosis has come to light: Fulmer, the team's ace right-hander, has been recommended to undergo elbow ligament reconstruction surgery.
Fulmer began experiencing soreness in his right elbow after a recent bullpen session. According to a release from the Tigers, after an MRI and a second opinion from renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews, Fulmer was recommended to undergo Tommy John surgery. He is seeking a third opinion.
The injury is the latest in a long list over the past three seasons since Fulmer established himself as a future front-line starter by winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2016.
Fulmer's 2017 season was cut short with right elbow ulnar nerve transposition surgery. Last season, he underwent his third right knee meniscus surgery, which was believed to be the root cause of his declined fastball velocity this spring.
After rehabilitating from surgery this offseason, Fulmer reported to spring training wearing a right knee brace, as recommended by doctors to prevent future injury. During his three Grapefruit League starts, his velocity sat between 88-92 mph, significantly lower than the 96.5 mph average fastball velocity last season, which represented a career high.
Both Fulmer and the Tigers professed no public concern over the dip, but internally, there was worry long before the team's Friday announcement, which was uniquely vague in its delivery.
"He took a step back to refine his lower-body mechanics," Gardenhire told reporters, reading from a legal pad on his Tiger Town desk last Thursday. "We have no timetable on when he's going to get back on the mound."
If he undergoes the surgery, Tommy John surgery generally requires 12-15 months of rehab time for pitchers, meaning Fulmer will likely not pitch again until 2020, at the earliest.
Fulmer, 26, has posted a 3.81 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in three seasons, spanning 75 starts. Last season, he went 3-12 and spent six weeks on the injured list with a left oblique strain.
The Tigers were hopeful that Fulmer _ who has four years of team control remaining and is signed at an affordable $3 million for 2019 _ could bounce-back at full health and serve as an attractive trade chip leading up to the July 31 trade deadline.
But with every low-90 mph pitch he threw, that hope diminished, and now, there is no hope at all that Fulmer will be able to aid the Tigers' rebuilding process with prospects.
