The Minnesota Twins were one of the most active teams at the 2022 MLB trade deadline, securing a series of moves to buff up their pitching staff and bullpen in a major way. Among the big moves the Twins made on Tuesday was an AL Central exchange with the Detroit Tigers that sends Michael Fulmer to Minnesota. It's a huge bullpen upgrade for the Twins, who nabbed one of the most reliable relievers in the business as they prepare for their postseason push. The deal was first reported by MLB Network's Mark Feinsand.
The Twins are acquiring LHP Michael Fulmer from the Tigers, per source. Detroit gets RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long from Minnesota.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 2, 2022
The right-hander will be a huge addition to the bullpen in Minnesota and should be inserted into high-leverage situations as a back-end bullpen member. The acquisition of Jorge Lopez sets the former Orioles All-Star up to be the Twins' new closer, opening up a nice role for Fulmer as the setup man.
What Fulmer excels at doesn't necessarily jump off of a stat sheet. The righty is elite at inducing soft contact from hitters, having surrendered just one home run all season. Across 39.1 innings on the mound, Fulmer has struck out 39 batters, while maintaining an excellent 3.20 ERA. Last season he registered a 2.97 ERA across 67.1 innings, proving his success in 2022 is no fluke.
In exchange for Michael Fulmer, the Tigers acquired right-handed pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long. The 24-year-old was the Twins' sixth-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft but has yet to feature in MLB. He's reached as high as Double-A this season in the minor leagues, where he's recorded a 7.17 ERA across 37.2 innings.
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