Kelley succeeded in setup role, will be asked for more in 2017

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Shawn Kelley, who became a key part of the bullpen in his first season on D.C.

PLAYER REVIEW: SHAWN KELLEY

Age on opening day 2017: 32

How acquired: Signed as free agent, December 2015

MLB service time: 7 years, 128 days

2016 salary: $4 million

Contract status: Signed for $5.5 million in 2017, $5.5 million in 2018.

2016 stats: 3-2, 2.64 ERA, 67 G, 7 SV, 2 BS, 58 IP, 41 H, 19 R, 17 ER, 9 HR, 11 BB, 80 SO, 0 HBP, 0.897 WHIP, 1.4 WAR

Quotable: "I've always been a guy that feeds on that, knows how to use that adrenaline to maybe get a little extra life on the ball. I've been doing this for a while now. You contain it and try to harness it and use it to pitch and not to be all over the place and get out of my game or my mechanics. I just took a deep breath every pitch and tried to treat it like I do any other situation." - Shawn Kelley, after pitching out of a ninth-inning jam to record a save on July 29

2016 analysis: The Nationals signed Shawn Kelley last winter, counting on the veteran right-hander to become a stalwart near the back end of their bullpen not only in 2016 but in 2017 and 2018, as well. Despite pedestrian numbers through the first six seasons of his career, they banked on his breakthrough 2015 in San Diego and his longstanding high strikeout rate as evidence of future success.

One season into his time in D.C., they look like they knew what they were doing. Kelley indeed became an integral part of the Nationals bullpen, whether serving as a reliable setup man or even filling in as closer at one point.

The key to Kelley's success: a wipeout slider that he threw 44 percent of the time and neutralized right-handed batters, who hit just .176 against him. Left-handed batters weren't that much better against him, batting a mere .225 with a .292 on-base percentage.

Kelley's season did end in disappointing (and briefly scary) fashion. Summoned out of the 'pen to try to stop the bleeding during the tumultuous seventh inning of Game 5 of the National League Division Series, he wound up surrendering a two-run triple to Justin Turner and grabbing his arm in pain afterward. A two-time recipient of Tommy John surgery in his career, Kelley left plenty worried he might have suffered yet another major arm injury. But he said later that night tests showed nothing to worry about, and general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed that two weeks after the season ended.

2017 outlook: Assuming Kelley is healthy - and technically that shouldn't be assumed until he's back on a mound facing a live batter again - he'll once again be earmarked for a key role in the Nationals bullpen. Much will depend on the identity of the club's closer in 2017, whether Mark Melancon is re-signed, whether some other experienced closer is acquired, or whether a young flamethrower like Koda Glover or Blake Treinen is given an opportunity.

Kelley does figure to be in a setup role again, used mostly when the matchups are favorable and the opponents have right-handed batters due up.

One area for improvement: avoiding the long ball. Kelley's home run rate doubled from 2015 to 2016, and while some of that might be attributable to the move from pitcher-friendly Petco Park to neutral Nationals Park, it still was a problem area on a few occasions in which he gave up a late lead.