Dodgers lose Jamey Wright to Rays; he signs another nonroster deal

Reliever Jamey Wright’s ongoing quest to pitch in the postseason has moved out of town. Too bad; even at 38, there seemed to be life left in his right arm, and he gave the Dodgers a solid season out of the bullpen in 2012.

His annual bid to make a team as a nonroster invitee has moved to Tampa Bay, the Tampa Tribune’s Roger Mooney reporting Wright has signed a minor league contract with the Rays that includes an invite to spring training.

This will be the eighth consecutive spring that Wright will attempt to earn a major league job as a nonroster invitee. If he makes it, the Rays would be the 10^th team he’s pitched for, and he’s had two stops at both Colorado and Kansas City.

Nowhere along the way, however, has he pitched in the postseason. He had hoped to have his first playoff experience with the Dodgers last year, until the team faded down the stretch.

Still, Wright pitched in all kinds of situations and for the most part was fairly effective for the Dodgers (5-3, 3.72 ERA, 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings in 66 games). And he was excellent in the clubhouse.

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said he was interested in bringing Wright back, but with one or two of last year’s starters likely to move into relief roles this season, and Javy Guerra and Matt Guerrier expected back and healthy, the L.A. bullpen is looking crowded.

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