Los Angeles Dodgers closer Tanner Scott had a rough first season in LA, but general manager Brandon Gomes revealed the Dodgers are giving the southpaw another chance to prove himself as their closer in 2026.
Scott signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Dodgers ahead of last season, but severely underperformed during his 61 appearances on the mound. He had a 4.74 ERA last season — his highest since 2021 — and failed to convert 10 of his 33 save opportunities.
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The Dodgers had the 31-year-old left-hander on their roster for both of their first two playoff series, however a mysterious injury followed by a lower-body abscess excision kept him off the roster for the NLCS and World Series.
“He certainly is one of the guys in that group,” Gomes said. “We’ve seen it in the past. There is reliever volatility. Unfortunately, we’ve seen this happen in the past with other great relievers. So we fully believe Tanner’s gonna come back and have a great year for us next year and be right there in the mix to pitch at the back end of the games.”
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Scott has the capability to be an elite closer in MLB and has shown as much in the past, specifically in 2024. He split time between the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres that season, posting a 1.18 ERA through 44 games with Miami and a 2.73 mark during his time with the Dodgers’ division rivals. He also made the All-Star Game in 2024.
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The southpaw is a career 3.72 ERA pitcher and has notched 78 saves throughout his career. His first season in Dodger blue left a lot to be desired, but he will look to rediscover his form and be the elite force the Dodgers hope he can be upon his return in 2026.
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