Blue Jays: Strikeout type free agent relievers to pursue this offseason

Michael Fulmer – RHP

You might remember Michael Fulmer from the 2022 trade deadline, as the right-hander was one option that was circled on the wish list of quite a few Blue Jays fans earlier this year. Ultimately, the Detroit Tigers traded him to the Minnesota Twins and he finished the year by throwing to a 3.70 ERA through 24.1 innings of work with his new club.

While Fulmer’s fastball doesn’t blow you away like Díaz or Castro, the Oklahoma product uses a slider to generate weak contact and strikeouts, earning an 8.6 K/9 on the year. He sat in the 91st percentile of barrel % and generated a 113 ERA+ split between the Tigers and the Twins, although he did take a step back after the trade.

Adding Fulmer into the Blue Jays bullpen wouldn’t necessarily provide the velocity fans might be looking for. Still, he is experienced and is coming off two solid seasons as a relief option since converting from the rotation that also has some closing experience dating back to 2021.

Fulmer would be considered a middle reliever and similar to Castro, the addition would hopefully be just another piece to the puzzle that is the free agent offseason (with more moves likely to follow) but he could slot into the relief corps if the Jays don’t bring back David Phelps.