LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers added Jamey Wright after reaching recent agreements with Chris Perez and J.P. Howell, according to a baseball source, to round out one of their deepest bullpens ever.
Wright returns the long-man role he filled for the Dodgers in 2012 after spending a year excelling as Tampa Bay’s long man.
Perez joins Brian Wilson and Brandon League as a third former All-Star closer serving as a bridge to young Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen. The Dodgers also have right-hander Chris Withrow returning, as well as left-handers Paco Rodriguez and Howell. The Dodgers have not confirmed the deals with the Wright, Perez and Howell.
Wright, who turns 40 on Christmas Eve, went 5-3 with a 3.72 ERA in 66 appearances for the Dodgers in 2012. But they didn’t bring him back in 2013, when he signed another Minor League contract and had an even better season for Tampa Bay (2-2, 3.09, 66 appearances). He also reached the postseason for the first time in an 18-year career.
Perez, a two-time All-Star, was Cleveland’s closer last season. He had 25 saves, his fourth consecutive season with at least 23 saves. But his year deteriorated on and off the field.
Over the final two months of the season, his ERA shot from 2.41 to 4.33. In June, Perez and his wife were arrested for possession of marijuana, for which he pled no contest, was fined $250 and placed on one year probation. Perez entered MLB’s drug treatment program and has undergone regular drug tests.
With that backdrop, the Indians released him Oct. 31. Nonetheless, he’s considered by the Dodgers an upgrade from another right-hander with baggage, Ronald Belisario, who was non-tendered.
At the time, the club believed a better alternative to Belisario could be acquired because of the depth of right-handed relievers in this year’s free-agent market.
Perez, 28, was a first-round Draft pick by the Cardinals in 2006 out of the University of Miami who earned $7.3 million last year and would have been eligible for arbitration if not released.
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