Wilmer Font

The Texas Rangers signed Font as an international free agent on July 11, 2006.[1] He began his professional career in 2007, playing for the Arizona League Rangers. That year, he went 2–3 with a 4.53 ERA in 14 games (10 starts), striking out 61 batters in 45+2⁄3 innings.[2] In 2008, he again pitched for the AZL Rangers, going 1–0 with a 10.38 ERA in three starts, striking out six batters in 4+1⁄3 innings (that year he allowed only one hit and one walk, but he hit three batters).[2]

In 2009, Font went 8–3 with a 3.49 ERA in 29 games (24 starts), striking out 105 batters in 108+1⁄3 innings for the Hickory Crawdads.[2] He split 2010 between the Crawdads and Bakersfield Blaze, going 5–3 with a 4.35 ERA in 16 starts, striking out 85 batters in 78+2⁄3 innings.[2] His 2010 season ended early when he came down with an elbow injury on July 7 which led to him undergoing Tommy John surgery after the season.[3] He missed the entire 2011 season while recovering from the surgery.[3] He returned in 2012 and pitched in 33 games (19 starts) primarily with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and Frisco RoughRiders. He had a 4.03 ERA.[2]

Font made his major league debut for the Rangers on September 18, 2012, pitching one scoreless inning of relief against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.[4] He pitched two innings over three games for the Rangers, allowing two earned runs and striking out one batter.[5] His first MLB strikeout was against Mike Trout of the Angels on September 28.[6]

Font spent most of the 2013 season in the minors, pitching in 26 games for Frisco and 16 for the Round Rock Express. In 42 games, he had a 1.90 ERA.[2] He also pitched in two games in the majors for the Rangers in July, and did not allow a run in 1+1⁄3 innings.[7] He spent the entire 2014 season with Frisco and was 1–2 with a 3.48 ERA in 29 games.[2] Font was designated for assignment on October 2, 2014.[8]

Font signed with the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason, but was released on March 31, 2015.[9] He then signed with the Ottawa Champions of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball for the 2015 season.[10] He made 20 starts for the Champions and was 10–4 with a 4.09 ERA.[2] He returned to Ottawa to start the 2016 season and began 2–2 with a 4.18 ERA in 10 games (9 starts).[2]

On July 4, 2016, Font's contract with the Ottawa Champions was purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays.[11] He pitched in 12 games (11 starts) in the Blue Jays farm system with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Buffalo Bisons and was 4–4 with a 3.68 ERA.[2]

Font signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2016.[12] He was assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers to begin the season[13] and was selected as the starting pitcher for the Pacific Coast League mid-season all-star team.[14] Font started 25 games for Oklahoma City in 2017 and was 10–8 with a 3.42 ERA and 178 strikeouts, setting a new team franchise record and winning him the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year Award.[15]

Font was promoted to the majors with the Dodgers on September 2.[16] He appeared in just three games for the Dodgers, allowing seven runs in just 3+2⁄3 innings of work with three strikeouts and four walks.[17] He began 2018 in the Dodgers bullpen and allowed 13 runs and 18 hits in 10+1⁄3 innings over six games, including picking up the loss in two extra inning games.[18] On April 23, he was designated for assignment and removed from the active roster.[19]

On April 25, 2018, the Dodgers traded Font to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for minor leaguer Logan Salow.[20] He posted an ERA of 14.85 in 4 appearances before being designated for assignment on May 23, 2018.[21]

On May 25, 2018, the Athletics traded Font to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league pitcher Peter Bayer.[22] Font found immediate success with the Rays posting a 1.67 ERA in 9 games (4 starts) over 27 innings before being placed on the 60-day disabled list with a right lat strain.[23]

On May 6, 2019, the Rays traded Font to the New York Mets for cash considerations or a player to be named later.[24] On July 12, Font was designated for assignment.[25] In 15 appearances (3 starts), Font was 1–2 with 24 strikeouts in 31 innings.

On July 17, 2019, Font was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations.[26] Font was used as an opener upon being acquired from the Mets. He appeared in 23 games (14 starts), striking out 53 in 39+1⁄3 innings. With the 2020 Toronto Blue Jays, Font appeared in 21 games, compiling a 1–3 record with 9.92 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 16.1 innings pitched.[27] On September 24, 2020, Font was designated for assignment.[28] He was outrighted on September 28. Font rejected the outright assignment and elected free agency the next day.[29]

On October 31, 2020, Font signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the SK Wyverns of the KBO League.[30] The Wyverns rebranded as the SSG Landers in the offseason. Font posted an 8–5 record with a 3.46 ERA and 157 strikeouts over 25 starts. On December 17, 2021.

Font re-signed with the Landers for the 2022 season on a one-year, $1.5 million deal.[31] In his season debut for the Landers, Font tossed 9.0 perfect innings against the NC Dinos, but was not credited with a perfect game as he was replaced by reliever Kim Taek-hyeong in the bottom of the 10th inning in the 4-0 victory.[32] He became a free agent following the 2022 season.

On January 5, 2023, Font signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres organization.[33]