The Red Sox announced Wednesday they have added six non-roster invitees to their spring training roster, including a former Rookie of the Year winner looking to revive his career.
Michael Fulmer, a veteran right-hander who missed all of 2024 rehabbing from elbow surgery, is among those who will be given an opportunity to earn a spot on the Red Sox big league roster. The other five non-roster invitees are catcher Seby Zavala, infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton, and right-handers Isaiah Campbell, Bryan Mata and Wyatt Mills.
Fulmer started his career with the Detroit Tigers and got off to a great start, winning AL Rookie of the Year in 2016 and earning All-Star honors in 2017 as a starting pitcher. Injuries began taking their toll shortly afterwards and in 2019 he underwent Tommy John surgery for the first time, missing the entire season.
Upon his return in 2020 he shifted to the bullpen, first as a full-time “opener” and then as a more traditional reliever in 2021. Overall Fulmer has posted a 3.43 ERA in 172 career relief appearances, most recently tallying a 4.42 mark with the Chicago Cubs in 2023. Following that season Fulmer underwent UCL revision surgery, and in February of 2024 he signed a two-year minor league contract with the Red Sox.
Now entering the second year of that deal, the Red Sox hope Fulmer can recapture his old form and help bolster the club’s pitching depth, either as a depth starter or a bulk reliever.
Mills is in a similar position as Fulmer. Originally acquired in a trade ahead of the 2023 season, Mills underwent Tommy John surgery in spring training and signed a two-year minor league deal the following offseason. He is also now entering the second year of that deal and will compete for a bullpen spot alongside Campbell and Mata, who were non-tendered in November but brought back on minor league deals.
Zavala currently projects as third on the Red Sox catching depth chart behind Connor Wong and Carlos Narvaez, and Eaton has appeared in 72 MLB games with the Kansas City Royals as a utility player.