DETROIT -- Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer, who left his last outing Saturday with soreness in his right knee, has damage in the meniscus, manager Ron Gardenhire said Monday.
An MRI exam conducted earlier Monday in Detroit and reviewed by team orthopedic physician Dr. Stephen Lemos showed the damage. Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews will review the exam results for a second opinion before Fulmer and the team will decide on the next step.
"We'll just wait and see exactly what they tell us," said Gardenhire, who did not answer whether surgery is a possibility at this point.
At the very least, however, it's unlikely Fulmer will pitch again this season, ending what has been a frustrating 2018 campaign for him. It also means that Fulmer's goal of ending the season healthy is out.
Fulmer, the American League Rookie of the Year Award winner two years ago and an All-Star selection last year, entered the season coming off surgery to reposition the ulnar nerve in his right elbow after experiencing numbness and tingling in his arm last year. His arm has been healthy this season, but an oblique strain suffered just after the All-Star break sidelined him for five weeks before the knee became a problem.
Fulmer owns a 3-12 record with a 4.69 ERA in 24 starts. While his 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings marks the same rate he posted two years ago, his hits, home runs and walks per nine innings are career highs. His 2.39 strikeout-to-walk ratio, meanwhile, is a career low.
At his best this season, Fulmer has been a power pitcher with an upper-90s fastball. His slider, a pitch he tweaked a few times this year, has been up and down, while his changeup has been a struggle.
Fulmer gave up back-to-back home runs to begin his last start Saturday in Cleveland before Gardenhire and head athletic trainer Doug Teter visited the mound to check on him. He reluctantly left the game in what became an eventual 15-0 loss to the Indians.