Fulmer named AL Rookie of the Year
Detroit Tigers starter Michael Fulmer was named American League Rookie of the Year on Monday after posting an 11-7 record, 132 strikeouts and a 3.06 ERA - the best among AL rookie starters this season.
The 23-year-old received 24 first-place votes to beat out New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez and Cleveland Indians outfielder Tyler Naquin. He became the fifth player in Tigers history to win ROY honors.
| Player | Pos. | Team | 1st-place votes | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Fulmer | RHP | Tigers | 26 | 142 |
| Gary Sanchez | C | Yankees | 4 | 91 |
| Tyler Naquin | OF | Indians | - | 20 |
| Chris Devenski | RHP | Astros | - | 7 |
| Edwin Diaz | RHP | Mariners | - | 4 |
| Nomar Mazara | OF | Rangers | - | 4 |
Fulmer was acquired from the New York Mets in 2015 as part of the trade that sent Yoenis Cespedes to the Big Apple. He pitched 159 innings in 2016, only three short of qualifying him for the AL's third-best ERA behind Toronto Blue Jays starter Aaron Sanchez (3.00) and teammate Justin Verlander (3.04). His 4.9 WAR put him eighth among AL starters, and it's the highest WAR produced by a rookie pitcher since Jonathan Papelbon in 2006.
The young starter was especially dominant for the Tigers before the All-Star break, going 9-2 with a 2.11 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP across 13 starts. From May until June, Fulmer posted a 33-inning scoreless streak - the second-longest by a rookie starter in the last 45 years, and the best by a Tigers pitcher since 1961, according to Katie Strang of ESPN.com.