Wingnuts Welcome Back Link to Starting Rotation
July 7, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
WICHITA, KS (July 7, 2015) - The Wichita Wingnuts lost one former Major League pitcher from the starting rotation for most of July, but gained another on Tuesday. While Scott Richmond is preparing to play in the Pan-Am Games with Team Canada, Jon Link has returned to Wichita to suit up for the club.
The 31-year old right-hander began the 2015 season pitching in the Miami Marlins organization at Triple-A New Orleans. After missing the early portion of the schedule due to injury, Link made six appearances spanning 8.0 innings and recorded four strikeouts. He is expected to receive the start in game two of Tuesday's doubleheader with Laredo.
Last season, the veteran cruised to an 11-2 record and posted a 3.26 ERA over the course of 127.0 innings for Wichita. He managed to strike out 100 hitters while walking just 33. In his last start for the club he set the franchise record for strikeouts in a single-game with 16 over 7.0 innings against the Grand Prairie AirHogs. After that outing, Link had his contract purchased by the Marlins and was assigned to Double-A Jacksonville where he helped the Suns win the Southern League title. This will be his third stint with the Wingnuts.
The right-hander spent just over a month with the Wingnuts in the beginning of the 2013 campaign before his contract was purchased by the Detroit Tigers in mid-June. At the time of his departure he led the American Association in both wins (six) and ERA (1.74) and was fifth in the league with 38 strikeouts. Link also tossed the first complete game of his career on June 17th versus Gary SouthShore. The Columbus, OH native allowed two or fewer earned runs in six of his seven starts and had a string of 24.0 consecutive scoreless innings.
The Tigers initially sent Link to their Double-A affiliate in Erie where went 3-1 with a 1.13 ERA in five games, all starts. In 39.2 innings of work he struck out 21 while allowing 30 hits and five walks. Those impressive numbers earned Link a promotion to the Toledo Mud Hens, Detroit's Triple-A affiliate. There he worked 43.2 innings in 11 appearances, seven of them starts. He also finished three games and closed the season with a 5.56 ERA.
Link is in the midst of his 11th season of professional baseball and was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 26th round out of Bluefield College (Bluefield, VA) in 2005. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Link is 46-29 in his career with 93 saves in 419 appearances. The veteran was named the Double-A Southern League's Relief Pitcher of the Year in 2008 with the Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox). Link had a 4.15 ERA in nine relief appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010. The Columbus, OH native made his Major League debut on April 20th of that season with two shutout relief innings against the Cincinnati Reds.
All Kwik Shop Dollar Day vouchers that were purchased for Monday's contest are able to be redeemed at the gate on Tuesday for the doubleheader beginning at 5:05 p.m. One ticket will allow fans admittance to both contests. For information on season tickets, group outings, and party packages, call the Wingnuts' main office at (316) 264-NUTS, or visit the Wingnuts' official website at www.wichitawingnuts.com.
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