Dodgers sign right-hander Jamey Wright as a nonroster invitee

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The Dodgers signed veteran Jamey Wright Tuesday because … yeah, well, because they could. Because, why not?

He’ll be a nonroster invitee, so there’s no real risk involved. His chances of making the team out of spring are what you might call slim, as in Dee Gordon-standing-sideways kinda slim.

Dodgers have plenty of veterans in their bullpen now, so he’s not an answer there. They could badly use a left-handed reliever, which is swell, except Wright is right-handed.

And if he’s never lived up to that first-round pick by the Rockies status, he’s at least managed to hang around for a long time. He’s 37 now and made his major-league debut at age 21.

He spent last season with the Mariners, where he was at least decent enough. He appeared in 60 games, going 2-3 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. That’s actually a career-low ERA, and he’s been around for 16 seasons.

It’s that annual spring nothing-to-lose signing. Maybe injuries will enable him to sneak onto the roster. Maybe he starts at triple-A Albuquerque to see what happens. And maybe he has an opt-out clause should he not make the team.

A minuscule gamble, and sometimes they prove useful.

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— Steve Dilbeck