Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer didn't come into this season expecting poor results.
At first, he tried to pitch like the 2016 version of himself — the one that won the American League Rookie of the Year crown. But he quickly realized his body isn't the same anymore, not after multiple surgeries.
So, the 27-year-old tried finding his groove with a new cutter, taught by pitching coach Rick Anderson. He tweaked his slider and mixed in his changeup and curveball a bit more. Without his prior 95-mph fastball — he averaged about 93 mph this year — to fall back on, he focused on his command and mechanical changes.