DETROIT – Michael Fulmer has looked more like his pre-injury self since rejoining the Tigers' rotation a couple weeks ago. His season-opening stint in the bullpen helped him regain his fastball velocity by taking a reliever mentality into his starts.

So why, then, are the Tigers now talking about shifting Fulmer back into the bullpen? It’s a strategic debate.

“We’re considering putting Fulmer and making him available in the Chicago series out of the ‘pen again, and going to a five-man rotation with Tarik [Skubal] being in it,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “We haven’t really talked it through until we get through the bullpen session here in a couple days, but that’s under consideration for the New York series.”

The Tigers face the White Sox from Tuesday through Thursday before their road trip continues this weekend against the Yankees, their first visit to Yankee Stadium since April 2019. Fulmer’s rotation spot would come up during that series. Skubal could slot in there, though the Yankees are batting .245 with a .709 OPS against lefties compared to .189 and .631 off righties.

Moving Fulmer back to the bullpen would quash, at least for now, the six-man rotation Hinch has been talking about since Spring Training, during a stretch that seemed targeted for it once Spencer Turnbull returned from the injured list. But implementing a six-man rotation is easier said than done.

“We have off-days coming up. It gets a little bit tricky to mix in a six-man rotation," Hinch said. "Number two is I think Fulmer in these short stints, as we’ve seen [Sunday] in the start, in the early-season kind of sprint horse, we liked his intensity. I think having an extra weapon in the 'pen is intriguing when you get into these close games. And so, there’s a few reasons why we would want to do that with him. And put in there load management as being part of it.”

The Tigers seem to have their rotation stabilized with Turnbull back, Matthew Boyd enjoying a strong opening month, José Ureña displaying consistency and Casey Mize showing promise. Skubal, like Fulmer early in the season, seems to have found his normal fastball velocity and aggression again as a piggyback starter. The Tigers are hoping he can do what Fulmer did and translate that into a traditional starting role.

Fulmer has allowed five runs on eight hits over 12 innings in three starts, including three scoreless innings Sunday on 36 pitches in what amounted to a piggyback start with Skubal. His fastball and sinker velocity held steady at around 95-96 mph.

Núñez outrighted to alt site
Renato Núñez, whom the Tigers designated for assignment last week, cleared waivers and has been outrighted to the alternate training site in Toledo, the club announced. The Tigers were hoping to keep Núñez in the organization with the possibility of recalling him to Detroit as the season goes on. He was 4-for-27 with two home runs and two doubles in seven games while Miguel Cabrera was on the injured list.