They also release pitcher Junior Fernandez.
The Royals announced they have signed veteran right-hander Michael Fulmer and assigned him to Triple-A Omaha. The 32-year-old pitched one game with the Red Sox earlier this year, and appeared in two games with the Cubs without allowing a run before they designated him for assignment last week.
Fulmer missed all of last season following surgery on his UCL. In his last full season in 2023, he made 58 relief appearances with the Cubs with 65 strikeouts in 57 innings with a 4.42 ERA.
Fulmer was originally drafted in the first round of the 2011 draft by the Mets out of high school in Oklahoma. He was traded as a minor leaguer to the Tigers for Yoenis Cespedes, and made his MLB debut in 2016, winning Rookie of the Year with a 5.4 rWAR season as a starting pitcher. He was an All-Star the next season, but he declined in the two seasons after his rookie campaign and he missed the entire 2019 season after Tommy John surgery. He became a reliever after that, posting 2.97 ERA in 52 relief appearances with 14 saves in 2021.
The Royals released pitcher Junior Fernández from Triple-A Omaha, after he posted a 4.93 ERA with 53 strikeouts and 26 walks in 38 1⁄3 innings. Fernández had appeared in parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Cardinals and Pirates, with a 5.17 ERA in 54 innings.