Tigers place Fulmer on disabled list with elbow injury

BALTIMORE » Michael Fulmer hopes a stint on the 10-day disabled list will provide him with the rest he needs to recover from a quirky, persistent elbow injury.

Fulmer, the 2016 AL rookie of the year, was placed on the DL by the Detroit Tigers on Thursday — mostly as a precaution.

An MRI revealed fluid around the elbow, but manager Brad Ausmus says there’s no ligament damage.

The Tigers are describing right elbow ulnar neuritis.

“It’s been for a few years that he’s had it,” Ausmus said. “It never affects his pitching whatsoever because it’s been the ring the injury as finger and the pinkie.”

Fulmer said he usually feels numbness after he pitches, but that changed during his last start on Monday.

“This is first time I have felt it during a game,” Fulmer said. “It only affected one pitch, the changeup. My stuff was still there but obviously when you lose feeling in your fingers it’s not the best sign.”

Ausmus said: “This is the most severe it’s been. We want to make it more manageable.”

Fulmer be brief.

“Hopefully, I can take a week off and in 12 days be ready to pitch again,” he said.

Fulmer is 10-9 with a 3.58 ERA in 21 expects his stay on the DL to starts. He goes on the disabled list having accounted for more than one-fifth of Detroit’s wins this year.

Indians piecing bullpen together with Miller out

CLEVELAND » With All-Star reliever Andrew Miller sidelined for at least a week, Indians manager Terry Francona is remodeling Cleveland’s bullpen.

Miller was placed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday with right knee tendinitis. Francona said an MRI confirmed the original diagnosis and that the lefthander has been bothered by the soreness “for months.”

The team is discussing more aggressive treatments for Miller, who has struggled with his control in recent weeks.

Francona said there was a direct link between Miller’s injury and the wildness.

“It’s his landing leg and he doesn’t have anything to firm up against,” Francona said Thursday before the Indians opened a four-game series against the New York Yankees.

“And he’s been yanking balls. He’s hit guys in the leg with sliders. It’d be pretty cool if fans or even media could see his willingness and wanting to pitch. It’s amazing. I just don’t think it was fair. I don’t think you can just put a guy on the disabled list when it’s convenient.