Roger Arrieta
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today signed free-agent right-handed reliever Brian Wilson to a one-year contract with a player option for 2015.
“After how well Brian pitched down the stretch and in the postseason, we are very pleased he is returning,” said Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti. “He’s a proven veteran with a history of success in high-leverage situations.”
Wilson returns to the Dodgers after originally signing with the club as a free agent on July 30 and tossing scoreless relief in 17 of 18 regular season games, going 2-1 with a 0.66 ERA. The 31-year-old limited opponents to a .178 batting average and posted a 0.88 WHIP, while allowing just one of 11 inherited runners to score. In the postseason, he went 1-0 and pitched 6.0 scoreless innings in six appearances.
In eight Major League seasons, Wilson has gone 22-21 with 171 saves and a 3.10 ERA in 333 career games with the Giants (2006-12) and Dodgers (2013). The three-time All-Star (2008, 2010, 2011) has limited opposing hitters to a .235 batting average during the course of his career with 353 strikeouts in 333.2 innings.
Wilson, who won two World Series rings as a member of the Giants, has excelled in the postseason during his career with a 2-0 record and six saves in 16 career playoff appearances. He has yet to allow an earned run (one unearned run) in 17.2 career postseason innings, which trail only John Rocker (20.2 IP), Trevor Rosenthal (20.1 IP) and Joe Niekro (20.0 IP) for the most all-time postseason innings pitched without allowing an earned run.
The New Hampshire native ranks 10th among active pitchers in saves, and from 2008-11, he ranked among the NL’s best relievers in wins (17, T-6th), innings pitched (264.1, 6th) and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (10.11, 12th). In 2010, Wilson tied the Giants all-time single-season saves record with 48 (also: Rod Beck, 1993), while successfully converting 24 consecutive save opportunities in 2008, which tied for the second-longest save streak in San Francisco history. Overall, his 171 saves as a Giant rank third in franchise history behind Robb Nen (206) and Beck (199).
Wilson was originally selected by the Giants in the 24th round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft out of Louisiana State University.
