LAKELAND, Fla. -- Michael Fulmer's preparation for his much-anticipated first appearance in a Tigers uniform was all starter. His entrance was all reliever. The role he'll ultimately fill is still up for debate.
As the national anthem finished at Joker Marchant Stadium before Tuesday's Grapefruit League opener against the Pirates -- a 4-2 Tigers loss -- Fulmer walked across the street, warming up on the back fields at Tigertown. Matt Boyd was starting, but the pitching list included Fulmer, the Tigers' No. 1 prospect, so he relied on his normal starter's routine.