OAKLAND – It was here, almost a year ago, that Michael Fulmer was starting to become Michael Fulmer.
In his second start of what would turn out to be a Rookie of the Year season, armed with a rapidly improving changeup, Fulmer tore through the Athletics lineup. He pitched seven-plus innings of shutout baseball that late May day, in the first of four scoreless outings that would go down amongst the best for a rookie in major league history.
On Friday night, Fulmer flashed that same dominance. This time, the changeup was not so unfamiliar, a developing pitch no longer.