The Los Angeles Dodgers made waves last week when they inked the top closer on the free-agent market, right-hander Edwin Díaz, to a three-year deal. The price of 69 million for three years, plus draft picks, was thought to be beyond the Dodgers’ willingness to pay. However, they certainly wasted no time on addressing a weakness that haunted the 2025 squad. For what it’s worth, they have made no secret that Diaz is already the closer. This begs the question: What do the Dodgers expect from Tanner Scott? It seems the team is optimistic about the future for the left-handed reliever in 2026.
Tanner Scott Looking to Rebound for Dodgers Next Season
Déjà Vu All Over Again?
Last season, Los Angeles ruffled some feathers by signing Scott to a four-year deal worth $72 million. This seemed out of character for President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman, who usually looks for a bargain in the bullpen. However, Scott’s body of work proved he might be worth it. This includes holding Shohei Ohtani hitless with multiple strikeouts. Despite an auspicious beginning, the left-hander struggled mightily, having an ERA close to five. To make matters worse, he gave up a career-high 11 home runs, nearly twice as many as he did in previous years. His fastball leaked over the plate a lot in 2025. Scott felt the pressure, telling the press, “Baseball hates me right now.” He led the league with 10 blown saves and had an ERA of 4.74. This is nearly two and a half runs higher than his career figure.
Tanner Scott, Fourseamers to Lefties:
2024 –> .129 SLG
2025 –> .939 SLGpic.twitter.com/hqHKCvxwHa
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) September 24, 2025
However, he wasn’t the only reliever to struggle. The whole bullpen put gasoline on fires they were called upon to put out. As a result, the Dodgers used their starting rotation out of the bullpen. It worked, but it looks like Los Angeles doesn’t want to tempt fate again.
A Possible Explanation
There were whispers last year that the Dodgers were tweaking Scott’s routine or rhythm by asking the left-hander to throw more strikes. However, manager Dave Roberts shed light on the situation in a recent interview, saying, “There were some things physically, he was dealing… [with ]. Some were talked about, and some that weren’t.” Scott did spend some time on the injured list. Elbow inflammation earlier in the season, and then he had to have something lanced, which kept him off the postseason roster. Apparently, that was only part of the injuries. Roberts concluded his remarks on the subject by saying, “It was an outlier of the season.” For what it’s worth, it seems to be the consensus opinion among the Dodger brass. If Scott reverts to his normal output, it gives Los Angeles bullpen insurance in case of injury.
Great Potential
If they are both healthy and effective, Scott and Díaz could be a filthy combination for teams with which to deal. The Dodgers could essentially shorten the games to seven innings if both closers lived up to their potential. It would also go a long way in determining if Los Angeles can acquire the long-coveted three-peat when October rolls around. The Dodgers are eager to play with that possibility.
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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