DETROIT _ The Detroit Tigers are going to limit Michael Fulmer's innings in the second half of the season.
Fulmer understands what's going to happen, but right now he still wants to start every fifth day.
He'll make his 14th start for the Tigers on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals. He's 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA in three home starts with 19 strikeouts in 171/3 innings.
Fulmer (9-2) has pitched a total of 92 innings this season _ 762/3 innings for the Tigers and another 151/3 innings for Triple-A Toledo.
"I love pitching at home, just the crowd and the energy and excitement, the buzz around the stadium," Fulmer said Saturday at Comerica Park. "It kind of gets the adrenaline going a little bit and motivates me a little more to get a win in front of this home crowd.
Fulmer said he understands why the innings limit has been discussed.
"No matter how much I talk to Brad (Ausmus) they're still going to do what they need to do," Fulmer said. "I told Brad I want to go out and pitch every fifth day. It's just my mentality. It's who I am. It's how I want to be.
"I've never disagreed with (the) front office, anybody. I would never disagree with them. They tell me the reason and I just nod and smile. I can tell them what my opinions are, but it's not going to change and I understand that. I know it's for the best and hopefully we get to a point where I'm feeling healthy enough to maybe extend my innings a little bit more this year."
Fulmer pitched a career-high 1242/3 innings last season, including 312/3 innings for Double-A Erie after the Tigers acquired him as part of the July 31 trade that sent Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets.
"They were going to let me go and then I think they saw some things," Fulmer said. "Maybe (velocity) was down a little bit for one start and they decided to call it quits after that. But I don't ever argue with guys like that. We're on the same page."
Fulmer said he made a case to continue pitching last season.
"I never get mad at anybody for that," he said. "If I'm feeling healthy then I don't see a reason why I can't go out every fifth day."
