2014 Dodgers review: Chris Perez

Chris Perez had a base salary of $2.3 million in 2014, which amazingly only made him the fifth-highest paid pitcher in the Dodgers' $34 million bullpen. Perez was one of four former closers brought in to setup Kenley Jansen, but much like most of the non-Jansen bullpen, things didn't work out quite as planned for Perez in 2014.

What went right

Perez began the season in a setup role and had scoreless appearances in 13 of his first 14 games, with a 1.35 ERA and a 20-percent strikeout rate in his first 13⅓ innings.

He was also effective in the season's final month, returning from the disabled list to pitch seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and a 33-percent strikeout rate over his final seven appearances.

What went wrong

In between the decent start and solid finish, Perez was largely ineffective, allowing 21 runs on 31 hits in 26 innings from May 3 to Aug. 3, with six home runs allowed during his three-month slump, in addition to 18 walks to go with his 21 strikeouts.

On July 22 in Pittsburgh, Perez started the eighth inning with the Dodgers down 8-7 to the Pirates. He got a pop-up to open the inning, but then walked four straight batters, the first Dodgers relief pitcher to issue four straight walks in 26 years.

Perez walked four weeks in August with bone spurs in his right ankle.

Ultimately Perez was mostly ineffective on the season, with a 4.27 ERA and 5.07 FIP, numbers nearly identical to his 2013 campaign that got him non-tendered in Cleveland, only this time with a lower strikeout rate (22.2 to 19.5 percent) and higher walk rate (8.6 to 12.5 percent).

The final chapter of the Perez saga ended sourly, with Perez pitching just once in the final 10 games of the season, falling one appearance shy of a $500,000 performance bonus for 50 games pitched. Then, when told he wasn't going to make the Dodgers' NLDS roster Perez chose to leave and go home rather than remain with the team.

2014 particulars

Age: 28

Salary: $3.8 million, including $2.3 million in base salary plus another $1.5 million in performance bonuses.

Game of the year

In the first game of a doubleheader in Minnesota on May 1, Perez retired the final five batters of the game, including two strikeouts, for his only save of the season, closing out the Dodgers' 9-4 win over the Twins.

Roster status

Perez is a free agent.