Who will save the day for each MLB team?

Detriot Tigers: Michael Fulmer

The outlook for the Detriot Tigers in 2018 is not good. With the Cleveland Indians still a powerhouse and the Minnesota Twins coming off a fantastic offseason, it’s hard to envision the Tigers finishing any better than third in the American League Central. And chances are extraordinarily slim they that manage to make the Wild Card somehow.

Despite the impending losing season, the Tigers do have some assets. Michael Fulmer is one of them. And he’ll save the day for the Tigers in one of two ways. He’ll either bounce back from a 2017 in which he regressed a bit, or he’ll be traded and give the team some top-tier prospects.

Fulmer was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2016 after going 11-7 with a 3.06 ERA in 159 innings pitched. His 2017 season wasn’t bad, but it was a step backward. He went 10-12 with a 3.83 ERA. Nothing at all to be ashamed of, but it was a tale of two halves. Fulmer went 9-6 with a 3.19 ERA during the first half of the season, but could only manage a 5.33 ERA in the second half.

There’s reason to believe that Fulmer’s second-half woes were due to health issues. He underwent elbow surgery in September, missing the rest of the season. If he’s back to 100 percent, he should look more like the pitcher he was in 2016. He will be one of the few bright spots on a rather bleak-looking Tigers team this season.