Font signed a minor-league contract with the Padres on Thursday, Steve Adams of MLBTradeRumors.com reports.
Font has been given an invitation to major-league spring training. The 32-year-old is coming off a successful two-year stint in Korea, having posted a 2.69 ERA over 28 starts for the SSG Landers in 2022. Font figures to be used as a starter initially in camp but also has plenty of past major-league relief experience.
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Wilmer Font: Bound for Korea
Rotowire
Font is expected to sign with the SK Wyverns in South Korea for the 2021 season, Daniel Kim of MBC Sports+ reports.
The move makes sense, as Font fits the typical profile of pitchers who head overseas. The 30-year-old has spent parts of six seasons in the majors but has failed to stick around in an important role, and with a career 5.82 ERA in 151.2 innings pitched, it's unlikely that was going to change any time soon. It's possible he figures things out in Korea and returns stateside in a year or two, though it's also quite possible he's already thrown his final MLB pitch.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Heads to open market
Rotowire
Font elected free agency Monday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Font cleared waivers after Toronto designated him for assignment over the weekend. Since he wasn't a candidate to receive a promotion to the big club during the postseason, he has opted to part ways with the organization. As he heads into free agency this offseason, Font will likely have to settle for a minor-league deal after posting a 9.92 ERA and 2.27 WHIP in 16.1 innings out of the Toronto bullpen in 2020.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Clears waivers
Rotowire
The Blue Jays outrighted Font to their alternate training site Sunday.
Toronto dropped Font from the 40-man roster and 28-man active roster Thursday to clear a spot for a healthy Nate Pearson in the bullpen, but the right-hander will stick around in the organization for now after going unclaimed off waivers. The 30-year-old may be looking for work elsewhere once the Blue Jays' playoff run draws to a close, however. He made 21 appearances out of the Toronto bullpen during the regular season, giving up 18 earned runs on 28 hits and nine walks over 16.1 innings.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Font was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Font made relief appearances Monday and Tuesday, and he allowed five runs on five hits and three walks while striking out zero over 1.1 innings during that time. He'll be cast off the 40-man roster to end the regular season to make room for Nate Pearson (elbow), who was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Thursday.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Activated Thursday
Rotowire
Font (shin) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Thursday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Font landed on the 10-day injured list with a right shin contusion, but he'll return after spending the minimum amount of time on the shelf. The right-hander has had inconsistent results this season as he carries an 8.78 ERA and 1.95 WHIP over 13.1 innings during 17 appearances.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
Font was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right shin contusion Monday.
Font allowed one run on two hits and two walks while striking out one over 1.1 relief innings Sunday. He apparently didn't escape unscathed as he'll be forced to miss at least 10 days as a result of his injury. A timetable for his return hasn't yet been established. Right-hander Sean Reid-Foley was recalled by the Blue Jays to take Font's place in the bullpen.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Fires clean inning Thursday
Rotowire
Font worked around a base hit and struck out two during a scoreless sixth inning Thursday in the Blue Jays' 3-2 win over the Phillies in the first half of a doubleheader.
Font helped keep the Blue Jays' deficit at one before his team provided the tying run in the bottom of the inning, then walked off the Phillies in the seventh on Lourdes Gurriel's RBI single. After giving up runs in three of his first four outings out of the bullpen this season, Font has been much sharper lately, posting a 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and a 7:1 K:BB over his subsequent seven appearances.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Activated from injured list
Rotowire
Font (undisclosed) was activated from the injured list Monday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Font hit the injured list for undisclosed reasons in mid-July but is evidently ready to go now. Even with Ken Giles out with an elbow injury, Font is unlikely to fill a high-leverage role, but he was competent enough in 84.1 innings as a swingman last season, posting a 4.48 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Lands on injured list
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Font was placed on the injured list for undisclosed reasons Monday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Font isn't expected to fill a key role in the Blue Jays' bullpen this season, though he is expected to contribute. In 84.1 innings last season, he recorded an unremarkable 4.48 ERA, with a high 1.8 HR/9 offsetting a strong 26.7 percent strikeout rate. It's not clear when he'll be back on the field.
Font is expected to fill a middle relief or set-up role in the Blue Jays' bullpen in 2020.
Last year, the right-hander was used as an opener 17 times (14 with the Jays, three with the Mets) but wasn't particularly effective, posting a 4.93 ERA in 34.2 innings. Font found better results later in games, as he put together a 4.17 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 55:14 K:BB in 49.2 innings over 31 relief appearances. Given the lack of established arms in the 'pen behind closer Ken Giles, Font could find himself handling some high-leverage opportunities for Toronto, but there's a reason he pitched for five different teams over the prior two seasons and has zero career saves and only two career holds, both recorded in 2019. Font will need to show more consistency and put his journeyman reputation to rest before he'll be a trustworthy fantasy asset.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Opening Sunday
Rotowire
Font will work as the opener in Sunday's contest against the Yankees, Blue Jays radio play-by-play broadcaster Ben Wagner reports.
Font continues to work in his role as the opener, with Trent Thornton set to serve as the primary pitcher behind him. He's been fairly effective in the role, putting together scoreless outings in seven of his last 10 appearances. Expect Font to work one or two innings before turning the ball over to Thornton.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Gets blistered against Yankees
Rotowire
Font (3-3) lasted just one inning while allowing four runs on two hits with two walks and a strikeout as he took the loss Sunday against the Yankees.
Font served as the opener for this game and allowed two first-inning home runs; a solo shot by Aaron Judge and then a three-run bomb by Brett Gardner. Font has had his fair share of struggles against the Yankees this season, posting a 7.45 ERA in just 9.2 innings. Font now owns a 4.50 ERA along with an 89:28 K:BB. He is set to open for the last time this season against the Rays on Saturday.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Opening Thursday
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Font will work as the opener Thursday against the Orioles, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports.
Anthony Kay will work as the primary pitcher. Font has a 4.26 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 37 strikeouts in 31.2 innings as a starter/opener.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Works as opener Sunday
Rotowire
Font opened Sunday's 6-4 win over the Yankees, giving up a run on one hit in one inning before primary pitcher T.J. Zeuch replaced him.
The Blue Jays initially listed Zeuch as a traditional starter for the contest, but manager Charlie Montoyo opted to change his plans by the time Toronto released its lineup. Aside from surrendering a solo shot to Aaron Judge, Font worked efficiently in the outing, needing 14 pitches to escape the inning. Font could be used as an opener again when Trent Thornton's turn in the rotation comes up Tuesday in Baltimore.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: Opening Wednesday's game
Rotowire
Font will serve as the Blue Jays' opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.
Though he looked like he might exclusively occupy a bullpen role this week with the Blue Jays deciding to use rookie T.J. Zeuch as a traditional starter Tuesday, Font will assume opening duties with manager Charlie Montoyo choosing to deploy Trent Thornton as a primary pitcher for the first time all season. Over his 13 appearances as an opener this season, Font has posted a 4.40 ERA and 34:12 K:BB across 28.2 innings.
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Blue Jays' Wilmer Font: May not open this week
Rotowire
Font isn't listed as an opening pitcher for any contest during the Blue Jays' upcoming three-game series with the Red Sox and may work exclusively out of the bullpen this week, Toronto radio play-by-play broadcaster Ben Wagner reports.
Font served as an one-inning opener in T.J. Zeuch's major-league debut last week in Atlanta, but manager Charlie Montoyo will allow the rookie to work as a traditional starter in Tuesday's series opener. The other four rotation members scheduled to follow Zeuch this week -- Trent Thornton, Clay Buchholz, Anthony Kay and Jacob Waguespack -- all worked in starting roles in their most recent outings, so expect Montoyo to deploy them in that capacity again. The Blue Jays' decision to use Font against three hitters out of the bullpen Sunday in Tampa Bay adds further credence to the notion that he won't be opening any games in the near future.
