The 2 Most Interesting Dodgers to Start 2018

It's Opening Day!  2018 is underway and the Dodgers' roster has been set to start the season.  It's largely the same group of players that went all the way to Game 7 last year with some minor additions and subtractions here and there.  2 new faces to start the season in the bullpen stick out the most and even if you follow the Dodgers pretty closely you might be a little surprised to see the names Wilmer Font and J.T. Chargois in the bullpen to start 2018.  So who are these guys and what are they doing on the defending NL Champ's roster?

Well keep reading and maybe I'll say something about them, probably starting right now.  Wilmer Font was a player the Dodgers signed in free agency in December 2016.  In the 10 years he's been bouncing around the minor leagues, he's accumulated only a total of 7 innings pitched at the major league level, and you might remember 3.2 of those innings came last year in September with Font joining the roster when they expanded.  You might also remember him giving up JD Martinez's fourth homer in a game last year but I won't fault you if you've been trying to forget that happened (even if the commercial breaks on MLB.tv are doing their best to make sure you don't...).  Font wasn't very impressive last year in his extremely few innings given but in the minors in 2017 he put up pretty solid numbers as a starting pitcher.  In his 134.1 IP in 25 games he had a 3.42 ERA, 1.109 WHIP, and a very impressive 11.9 K/9 against a 2.3 BB/9.  The K/9 is probably what is most attractive right now to the Dodgers about Font as he still had a 9.3 K/9 clip this Spring (although struggled with run prevention to the tune of an 8.44 ERA in 10.2 IP).  He's also a converted starter heading to the bullpen which seems to be the new in thing with baseball as many starters are seeing great success (look no further than Ross Stripling, Brandon Morrow, and even Kenta Maeda in the playoffs last year to see what can happen when starters head to the pen).  Baseball Reference's projections aren't as high on Font as Fangraphs' is (BBREF has 27 IP to a 4.67 ERA with a 1.407 WHIP, Fangraphs' Steamer Projections has him at 90 IP, 3.51 ERA, and a 10.56 K/9).  The difference in innings pitched is interesting and it comes with Font being a starter for much of his minor league career, a spot start might be in the future depending on the health/effectiveness of the rotation right now.  Of course we're talking about a player that doesn't even have double digit innings pitched in the majors so what happens is anyone's guess. 

J.T. Chargois is a major league veteran in sample size if we're comparing him to Font with a whopping 23 innings pitched in the majors.  Those innings came with the Twins back in 2016 and he was okay if you look at advanced metrics (but in that measly sample size).  He wasn't a strikeout pitcher in recent years and his sinker gets him ground balls at an above average rate but this Spring saw him crank the Ks up with 12 in 9 innings to 3 walks and 3 hits given up.  Early in his career in the minors, he was putting up K numbers similar to that of this spring courtesy of a triple digit fastball and the Dodgers are no doubt hoping he can continue to put those numbers up even with a lessened velocity and keep the ball on the ground.  The concern with Chargois (like a few other Dodgers pitchers...and pretty much any pitcher) is with health as Chargois has not only had Tommy John but also has dealt with a stress fracture in his elbow.  He was a self proclaimed "violent thrower" and with a mechanical change is hoping to stay healthy and be effective in 2018.  Projections for Chargois are a bit more favorable than Font for both sites, BBREF projecting 27 innings, a 1.407 WHIP, and a 4.33 ERA; Fangraphs' Steamer with 30 innings, a 1.31 WHIP, and a 3.66 ERA.  Neither have to worry too much about being the guy in the bullpen with the late inning roles no doubt covered by the other veteran Dodgers in the bullpen but both are being given an opportunity on a team that's not short of solid replacements for either.  Much like Chancellor Palpatine to young Anakin Skywalker, we will watch their career with great interest.