ANAHEIM — Another new face is joining the Angels’ pitching staff.
The Angels selected the contract of right-hander Michael Fulmer and optioned left-handed reliever Sammy Peralta to Triple-A Salt Lake prior to Saturday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. Catcher Sebastian Rivero was transferred to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster.
Fulmer, 33, signed a minor league deal with the Angels on Aug. 11 after he was released by the San Francisco Giants. He won the 2016 American League Rookie of the Year award with the Detroit Tigers and earned an AL All-Star selection in 2017 as a starting pitcher before moving to relief following a series of arm injuries.
“Obviously we needed an arm,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “Peralta came up and did a nice job for us and did everything that we asked. But having a fresh arm and then somebody with experience like Fulmer…obviously had a lot of success, pitching as a starter and a reliever. I think just having that experience here too, even for the younger pitchers here, just maybe bouncing some ideas off of him and stuff like that, might be a positive.”
Fulmer missed the 2019 season after having Tommy John surgery and the entire 2024 season after having UCL revision surgery. He has been effective when healthy, posting a 3.58 ERA over 180 appearances for the Tigers, Twins, Cubs and Red Sox from 2021-2025.
He went 4-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 38 relief appearances for Triple-A Sacramento this season before the Giants released him. When Fulmer makes his Angels debut, he will be the 33rd different pitcher used by the team this season.
Suzuki does have some familiarity with Fulmer. Suzuki had two at-bats against Fulmer on April 29, 2016, when he was a member of the Twins and Fulmer was a rookie with the Tigers.
Suzuki singled to center the first time they faced each other to win the initial battle. Fulmer bounced back to induce a groundout in Suzuki’s second at-bat.
“Yeah, it definitely makes you feel older,” Suzuki said. “But you know, I think it’s cool because you kind of know the stuff that they had. I remember facing him. I remember the stuff that he had. It’ll be interesting to watch him going.”
FINAL REHAB OUTING FOR KIKUCHI
Yusei Kikuchi is set to make his final rehab start at Low-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday before rejoining the Angels.
Kikuchi has been on the injured list since April 30 with left shoulder inflammation. Suzuki said the plan is for him to throw between 80-85 pitches, which would be the most he’s thrown since he began his rehab on July 30.
Kikuchi made his first rehab start with the Quakes before making two starts at Salt Lake. He allowed 15 hits and 14 earned runs over eight innings in his first three rehab starts.
NOTES
Oswald Peraza (left hand contusion) took batting practice on the field and went through a full pregame routine before Saturday’s game. He hasn’t played since he got hit on the hand by a 95-mph fastball from Texas Rangers reliever Robby Ahltstom on Aug. 12 … Sam Bachman (right forearm radial inflammation) is playing catch and remains on track in his rehab.
UP NEXT
Royals (LHP Noah Cameron, 6-8, 4.45 ERA) at Angels (RHP Ryan Johnson, 2-6, 6.71 ERA), Saturday, 6:38 pm PT, ABTV, 830 AM