NEW YORK — To understand the precarious state of the New York Yankees’ bullpen, consider this:Reliever Michael Fulmer was “coming in regardless” for a crucial eighth inning in what became a lopsided 9-3 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night, manager Aaron Boone said.Fulmer was cut by the worst-in-baseball Los Angeles Angels on Sunday and had pitched in just three major-league games this season.He had only just signed with New York and, as of Wednesday morning, was heading to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Then the team put reliever Fernando Cruz (partially torn UCL) on the injured list, so it needed Fulmer to replace him.The Yankees, according to manager Aaron Boone, felt like they had no choice but to trust Fulmer on Wednesday — as they faced their heated rivals and clung to hopes of winning the American League East — with just 31 games left in the regular season.“We need some guys now to step up and be a part of it,” Boone said.
Michael Fulmer is in for his Yankees debut after being signed earlier today pic.twitter.com/KtlEyiZzX0
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 27, 2026It worked. This time, anyway.Fulmer was warming up with the score tied 3-3 in the seventh inning. When he entered in the eighth, the Yankees were ahead, 7-3, and he pitched well against the heart of Houston’s order. He struck out Yordan Alvarez and got groundouts from Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve.“Welcome to the Yankees,” Boone told Fulmer afterward. “I threw you in there against Yordan, Paredes and Altuve right out of the gate.”“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Fulmer replied.The Yankees, however, almost certainly see it differently.
