We’ve heard for years, decades even: “Spring training games are meaningless games.” And even though there is an element of truth to this in that winning or losing games before the actual regular season begins have no bearing whatsoever on which two teams will eventually make it to the World Series, you’ll have a hard time convincing Dodgers fans – and even more so 27-year-old La Guaira, Venezuela native Wilmer Font – that Friday’s spring training opener against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch is meaningless.

But why Font and not Clayton Kershaw, who Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Day-1 of spring training would be his Opening Day starter, the eighth of Kershaw’s career to set a new franchise record, against the Hated Ones on March 29 at Dodger Stadium?

The answer is ridiculously simple, actually. The Dodgers brass and training staff have already mapped out exactly which days their ace – and every other Dodgers pitcher in camp – will throw during the seven-week-long spring training to build them up and, in the starters’ case, get them (more or less) on a five-day rotation. In other words, it is more a matter of when the pitchers threw their last bullpen session which, for Kershaw, was yesterday (Thursday). As such, he will not make his first spring training start until Sunday, February 25 against the Seattle Mariners (whom the Dodgers will actually face in interleague play this season) at the Mariners spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona.

For those unfamiliar with Wilmer Font, and let’s face it, there are many, he was originally signed as an international free agent on July 11, 2006 by the Texas Rangers. He made his major league debut on September 18, 2012 and appeared in only five games – all in relief – over the 2012 and 2013 seasons, posting a 0-0 record and 5.40 ERA. Font would go another three years before making his next major league appearance, having been signed (and released) by the Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

Font was eventually signed by the Dodgers on December 21, 2016 and spent most of the 2017 season with the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City Dodgers until being called back up to the bigs as a September 1 call-up. One day later, on September 2, 2017, the 6′-4″ / 265-pound hard-throwing right-hander made his Dodgers debut in game-1 of a doubleheader against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

It did not go well.

In his 1.2 innings of work, Font allowed two runs on two hits while striking out one and walking (gulp) three. Ironically, it was not he who suffered the eventual loss. That dubious honor went to (wait for it…) fellow right-hander Pedro Baez.

Suffice to say, Friday’s spring training opener is anything but “a meaningless spring training game” for 27-year-old right-hander Wilmer Font, who made his Dodgers debut on September 2, 2017 against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Font would fair no better in his next appearance on September 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium, in which he allowed four runs on three hits, including one of four home runs hit by (then) Dbacks slugger J.D. Martinez, while striking out one and walking one in his one inning of work. The Dbacks – or rather J.D. Martinez – would go on to win that game by a score of 13-0, with left-hander Rich Hill suffering the brutal loss. The good news is that Martinez just signed a monster 5-year / $110 million contract with the Boston Red Sox this past week (pending a physical), thereby getting him out of the NL West, so there’s that.

Font’s final appearance for the Dodgers in 2017 was on September 10 against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. It, too, did not go particularly well, with him allowing one run on one hit, a solo home run by Trevor Story. Font did strike out one and (this time) did not allow a walk. But the Dodgers again lost the game by a score of 8-1, with Rich Hill again suffering the loss.

In his combined three appearances with the Dodgers in 2017, Font allowed seven runs on seven hits (two of which were home runs and three were doubles), while striking out three and walking four. And although Font did not collect a win or suffer a loss as a Dodger, his three-game ERA was an atrocious 17.18.

So why, then, would the Dodgers still want anything to do with Font, you ask? The answer, again, is simple. Although he tanked miserably in his brief appearances with the eventual 2017 National League champions Dodgers, he was absolutely lights out with the OKC Dodgers. In fact, he won the Pacific Coast League’s ERA title with his 3.42 earned run average and also the PCL’s strikeout title with 178 punchouts; 17 more than his nearest competitor. With that in mind, he comes dirt cheap to the Dodgers. In fact, should he make the Dodgers Opening Day 25-man roster, he would make the 2018 MLB minimum of $545,000; an important factor for a team precariously close to the 2018 MLB Competitive Balance (Luxury) Tax threshold.

All of this said and considering that Friday’s game is only the first of 33 scheduled spring training games, and the fact that Font will (probably) only go one inning max, it’s probably safe to say that this is anything but a meaningless spring training game for the young right-hander.

Give ’em hell, Wilmer!

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Note: Other Dodgers scheduled to pitch in Friday’s spring training opener are: Yaisel Sierra, Pat Venditte, Daniel Corcino, C.C. Lee, Brian Moran and Edward Paredes