The New York Yankees rolled to a 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, adding another win to a strong stretch while introducing a new arm to the bullpen.
Before first pitch, the club announced it had signed right-hander Michael Fulmer to a major league contract and added him to the active roster. The move came as part of several roster adjustments.
The Yankees placed right-hander Fernando Cruz on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort, optioned right-hander Bradley Hanner to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and recalled right-hander Elmer Rodríguez from the same affiliate.
Fulmer entered the game and worked a scoreless inning. The former All-Star faced a tough stretch of Houston hitters in his first appearance wearing pinstripes.
After the game, manager Aaron Boone spoke with reporters about the newcomer’s debut.
A reporter asked, “What did you think of Fulmer coming in there in that spot?”
Boone replied with an excited and detailed statement.
“He was great. I said, ‘Welcome to the Yankees.’ I threw you in there against Yordan, Paredes, and Altuve right out of the gate, and he was like, ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way.’ Look, I think he can help us,” Boone said.
“I really do. So, it was good to get him in. He was coming in regardless—whether it was a tie game, whether we were up. You know, we need some guys now to be able to step up and be a part of it. And that was a great first impression by him. I thought he threw the ball really well.”
Fulmer is in his ninth major league season. He has previously pitched for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox.
In 2017, while with Detroit, he earned a spot on the American League All-Star team.
The Yankees sit in second place in the American League East with a 75-57 record through 132 games. They have gone 7-3 over their last 10 contests and hold a 34-29 mark in 63 home games this year.
The offense has provided consistent production during the recent winning stretch, helping the club stay in the thick of the division race as August winds down.
After one more game against Houston, New York will welcome the Boston Red Sox to the Bronx on Friday to open a new series.
Boone’s comments suggested the club views Fulmer as someone who can absorb high-leverage work immediately rather than ease into a new role. The right-hander showed he was ready for that assignment by retiring the side without allowing a run in his first outing.
For a Yankees team still chasing playoff positioning, adding experienced arms who can handle big-league innings remains a priority in the final stretch of the regular season.
Wednesday’s result and the roster shuffle both pointed toward that goal as the club tries to keep winning games in the Bronx.
