The Los Angeles Angels designated right-hander Michael Fulmer for assignment on Sunday to clear a roster spot for the reinstatement of left-hander Yusei Kikuchi from the injured list.
The move ends a brief and effective stint for the veteran reliever with the club.
Fulmer, 33, joined the Angels on a minor-league contract on August 11 after being released by the San Francisco Giants organization.
He made one appearance with Triple-A Salt Lake before the Angels selected his contract on August 15. In three relief outings for Los Angeles, he delivered 3⅔ scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
The designation comes as Kikuchi returns to the rotation. The left-hander had been sidelined and is expected to start against the Texas Rangers. Fulmer’s removal opens the necessary spots on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters.
Fulmer has been a major-league presence since 2016, when he debuted with the Detroit Tigers and won American League Rookie of the Year honors after posting an 11-7 record and 3.06 ERA in 26 starts. He earned an All-Star selection the following year.
Arm injuries later shifted him primarily to a relief role, and he has bounced between organizations in recent seasons, including stops with the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox. He missed the entire 2024 season after elbow surgery.
Career numbers through his brief Angels tenure stand at 37 wins, 50 losses, a 3.93 ERA, and 582 strikeouts across more than 680 innings. He spent most of 2026 pitching effectively in Triple-A for the Giants’ Sacramento affiliate, logging a 2.98 ERA with a high strikeout rate and 10 saves before his release.
Because Fulmer has more than five years of major-league service time, he can elect free agency if he clears waivers rather than accept an outright assignment to the minors.
The Angels have up to five days to trade him or place him on waivers. His next destination remains uncertain as teams continue to seek experienced bullpen arms for the final stretch of the season.
The transaction reflects the Angels’ ongoing roster shuffling amid injuries and the need for rotation depth.
Fulmer’s short but scoreless run in Anaheim added another chapter to a career defined by early promise, resilience through injuries, and continued contributions as a veteran reliever more than a decade after his big-league debut.
