2017 Dodgers In Review: SP/RP Wilmer Font

Photo: Stacie Wheeler
IP K% BB% HR/9 ERA FIP xFIP WAR
MLB 3.2 13.6 18.2 4.91 17.18 11.88 8.19 -0.2
MiLB (AAA) 134.1 32.1 6.3 0.74 3.42 2.98 3.32 N/A

What Happened In 2017: Had an excellent season in Triple-A before receiving a September call-up.

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Last December, the Dodgers signed free agent Wilmer Font to a minor league contract, later extending a non-roster invitation to Spring Training. The 27-year-old righty ended up being a staple of the Triple-A Oklahoma City rotation in 2017, making 25 starts and putting up some very good numbers.

Font’s impressive season earned him numerous honors, including being named starting pitcher for the Pacific Coast League’s mid-season all-star team, and receiving the PCL Pitcher Of The Year Award. (Dustin also named him Dodgers Digest’s Minor League Pitcher Of The Year.) There was some speculation that he may be called up to bolster the Dodgers’ bullpen prior to September, but the Dodgers opted to wait for roster expansion.

When Font made his Dodger debut on September 2, it was his first appearance at the Major League level since 2013. He made it into three games as a reliever that month, and he allowed runs every time he pitched. In just three and two-thirds innings, Font allowed seven hits (two home runs), and allowed four walks versus three strikeouts.

Font is obviously much more talented than those appearances would suggest, and will almost definitely have more chances to prove himself going forward, although there’s a chance it won’t be for the Dodgers.

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2018 Status: Pre-arb eligible. Font, who is on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster but out of options, is a candidate to be DFA’d should the Dodgers need a spot. If he survives the offseason, he will likely serve as rotation depth in 2018.

About Sarah Wexler

Sarah Wexler is a native Angeleno and longtime Dodger fan. She began blogging about baseball in 2012 on her Tumblr, New Grass On The Field, where she covered an array of topics but especially enjoyed exploring baseball history. She is now a reporter/producer for MLB.com. She earned her master's degree in Sports Management from Cal State Long Beach. She graduated from New York University in 2014 with a bachelor's in History and a minor in American Studies. She's an avid Springsteen fan, which is a big boost to her baseball writer cred.