Fulmer hit by comebacker, exits with contusion

CHICAGO -- Michael Fulmer departed in the sixth inning of Monday's 4-2 loss to the White Sox after taking a comebacker off his right leg.
Fulmer delivered a 3-1 fastball to Daniel Palka, who lined the pitch 115.6 mph per Statcast™ off the pitcher's leg. The ball ricocheted right to first baseman Niko Goodrum for the second out of the inning.
"Yeah, that's what my wife said, 116 [mph]. That's the first thing she said to me," Fulmer said. "She asked me if I was all right, I said yeah. She goes, 'It was 116 miles off the bat,' and I said, 'Well, [I won't] throw it there again.'"
The trainer met with Fulmer on the mound before the right-hander walked off under his own power. Drew VerHagen came on in relief. After an initial examination, the Tigers announced that Fulmer has a right shin contusion and is listed as day to day.
"He got hit pretty good," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "But that was probably his last hitter. I was gonna take him out, he was at about 98 pitches, so then he gets hit in the shin."
After the game, Fulmer's leg was heavily bandaged, but he said that he likely will not miss his next scheduled start.
"Everything checks out, it's just a big welt," Fulmer said. "I'm just gonna keep doing treatment on it and stuff, it's been worse before, and I'm just glad because it could've ended a lot worse."
Fulmer had been pitching well, having allowed only one hit -- a Nicky Delmonico leadoff home run on his first pitch of the day.