The Dodgers have made plenty of big splashes this offseason, adding Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, plus re-signing Teoscer Hernandez. Add another player to that list, as the Dodgers signed Tanner Scott — arguably the best relief pitcher available this winter — to a four-year deal.
A Look at Scott
New Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott has long been an explosive reliever, dating back to his days as a Minor League in the Orioles organization. However, Scott gained notoriety for his work over the last two seasons, between the Marlins and Padres.
Scott struck out 90 batters over the 2022 campaign but a high number of walks — 46 over 62.2 IP — made him volatile at times. The lefty hasn’t changed much in terms of release point or arm slot since then but became far more effective in terms of getting hitters to chase.
The lefty actually increased the number of pitchers he’s thrown in the zone, in conjunction with throwing his four-seamer more. Scott’s fastball is a blistering one that can touch 100 MPH and has good induced break (16.8”), along with some glove-side action.
It, in turn, can make for a dangerous dilemma for hitters gaming for his fastball, when he breaks out his slider. Scott’s slider has above-average vertical break downward, making it a great pitch for getting hitters to chase and swing above it and miss. The slider was especially good in 2023, when opposing batters hit .173 off it, with a 40.6% Whiff%
Since the start of 2023, Scott’s ranked among the best in baseball in a number of categories, including K% (28.6% in 2024) and Barrel% (4.7%). The ex-Marlin also moved into a different role two years, as he became Miami’s closer late in the 2023 campaign after struggles from A.J. Puk and David Robertson and ran with the job.
And as far as left-handed relievers are concerned, Scott ranked third in cumulative strikeouts (188) over the last two seasons. Only Aroldis Chapman (201) and Josh Hader (190) had more.
Scott recorded nine saves in September 2023, then 18 more with the Marlins before he was traded in July 2024 to the Padres. The 30-year-old became a late-inning weapon — but not the primary closer — in San Diego, with Robert Suarez entrenched as closer.
Per reports, the Dodgers are signing Tanner Scott on a four-year deal worth $72MM.
Analysis
The $18MM AAV of this deal would put Scott third among highest-paid relievers, behind only Edwin Diaz ($20.4MM) and Josh Hader ($19MM), per Spotrac. It’s a lavish deal for a reliever, one who’s been among the game’s best over the last two seasons. Earlier this month, we ranked Scott the 10th-best reliever in baseball.
The Dodgers, before the deal, had two lefty relievers on their roster, Anthony Banda and Alex Vesia.
Banda, a former starter, excelled in the role last season, as left-handed batters hit just .218/.282/.269 (.552 OPS) off him last season. Vesia, meanwhile, struck out 87 over 66 frames and like Scott, ranked among the best in terms of left-handed relievers. The 28-year-old Vesia tied with Tyler Holton for sixth-most strikeouts (151) from 2023-24.
Scott, though, is different. Vesia relies heavily on a carrying four-seamer that sits in the low-90s, while Banda has a starter’s arsenal: with a four-seamer, change, sinker, and slider. Now, the Dodgers have three left-handed relievers, all of whom can give teams different looks.
It also gives the Dodgers more overall depth in their bullpen. Los Angeles’ pen was already deep, as it includes Ryan Brasier, Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, and Evan Phillips. Rookies Ben Casparius and Edgardo Henriquez are also options.
That depth gives Dave Roberts plenty of options for deployment, meaning the Dodgers may not have one set closer in 2025. Like, how the Dodgers did it in 2024 when the team won it all. Phillips and Daniel Hudson had 10+ saves in 2024, while Vesia had five.