Pass or Pursue: Should the Cubs re-sign these 5 free agents this offseason?
By Luke Norris
Michael Fulmer, P
Staying with the pitcher theme as we move along here, let's have a look at right-handed reliever Michael Fulmer.
Playing this 2023 season on a one-year/$4 million deal, Fulmer certainly had his ups and downs this year.
The first two months of the season didn't go particularly well, as he was 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA on May 31.
But the 30-year-old was much better in June, posting a 0.66 ERA in a dozen appearances, striking out 14 in 13.2 innings pitched. He was solid in July as well, with a 2.38 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 10 appearances.
But just as the Cubs did as a team, Fulmer struggled down the stretch and actually finished the year on the disabled list with a forearm injury.
Overall, he finished the season with a 3-5 record with a 4.42 ERA. But while Fulmer recorded 65 strikeouts in 57.0 innings, he also walked 28 batters and had a WHIP of 1.333, one of the highest in the Cubs' entire bullpen.
As it might take seven or eight million bucks for Chicago to bring him back, there's likely a younger, cheaper option for the Cubs out there, either in free agency or in their farm system.
Verdict: Pass