ROSEMONT, Ill. — The Chicago Dogs have signed pitcher Luke Wilkins to a contract.

Wilkins, who has spent time this season with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and Sioux Falls Canaries, joins the Dogs for the first time. The right-hander is a native Australian who was born in Sydney and spent nine seasons in the Australian Baseball League, becoming a mainstay with the Sydney Blue Sox.

Last winter in Sydney, the Aussie posted a career-best 3.09 ERA as a starter, also tallying a 1.28 WHIP and striking out 45 batters while walking just 12. He signed with Fargo for the 2019 season and made his American Association debut with three shutout innings against the Kansas City T-Bones on May 19.

On July 12, Wilkins was signed by the Sioux Falls Canaries and made four appearances with one start in South Dakota, including a quick stint against the Dogs.

“We’re happy to have Luke over here,” Dogs manager Butch Hobson said. “He’s a competitor. He really wanted to come to Chicago — he really liked it here. And for the most part, he’s a strike-thrower who keeps the ball down in the zone, and he’s got velocity.”

As a corresponding move, Chicago released RHP Ben Allison.

Wilkins joins his new Dogs teammates in time for this afternoon’s 3:05 PM clash with the first-place Cleburne Railroaders, in which Chicago will send LHP Austin Wright (4-5, 3.67 ERA) to the mound, with the Dogs aiming for their 16th win in the last 20 games.

 Fans can tune in to The Chicago Dogs Baseball Network for a live broadcast of every Dogs game, with team broadcasters Sam Brief and Henrique DaMour on the call. Follow the team on social media — @TheChicagoDogs on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat — and use the hashtag #TakeABite. For more information, visit TheChicagoDogs.com.