The Miami Marlins reached the playoffs in 2023 and looked poised to become a consistent winner with a solid young core. Fast-forward to mid-June 2024 and the Marlins have the worst record in the National League, signaling a seller mindset for Miami ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Despite their measly record, the Marlins have several players who will draw plenty of interest before the July 30 trade deadline. Among them is left-handed reliever Tanner Scott, who will become a free agent after the season.
At least four teams – the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles – are interested in Scott, per Jon Heyman. While none of the teams have an obvious edge right now, Heyman hinted at the Yankees being the likeliest landing spot.
Scott, 29, is among the top left-handed relievers in the league this season. He has a 1.93 ERA in 28 appearances, including eight saves in 10 save opportunities. He blew his second save of the year Thursday night, allowing a walk-off home run to J.D. Martinez in a 3-2 loss to the New York Mets. It was the first earned run Scott allowed since his first blown save on April 14.
After struggling to the tune of a 4.71 ERA in 2021 and 2022, Scott broke out in 2023 with a 2.31 ERA across a career-high 78 innings. He was tied with Felix Bautista as the league's most valuable reliever according to FanGraphs, finishing with a 2.8 fWAR.
Championship hopefuls lining up for Tanner Scott, other Marlins
The Marlins already showed their hand in their trade deadline plans when they dealt Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in May. Now they're expected to ship off more valuable players and contending teams are champing at the bit to acquire them.
MLB teams can never have enough pitching and that's exactly why they’re interested in Miami's plethora of young talent. Although the numbers aren’t backing that talent this season, contenders like the Dodgers, Yankees and Phillies believe they can develop some of the Marlins' young arms into viable pieces down the stretch.
Tanner Scott is a player that doesn’t need much guidance given his performance over the last two seasons. He is seen as a strong late-inning arm that any team in a pennant race would love to have. Although he's secured 40 saves since 2022, he might not be deployed as the permanent closer depending on which team acquires him. He's in line to earn himself a hefty payday in the winter though and being a valuable contributor on a winning team will only help that case.
Outside of Scott, the Marlins have more than a half-dozen young pitchers they might be willing to deal this summer. The group is highlighted by Jesus Luzardo, who has shown ace potential throughout his career but has been hit hard this season.
Luzardo posted a 3.48 ERA in 50 starts in 2022 and 2023 but hasn’t been able to replicate that success in 2024. His strikeout numbers are down and a 5.11 ERA is nothing to cheer about. Still, the Marlins feel they can get a solid haul for the 26-year-old who is under team control through 2026.
Miami won’t be in the playoffs this year but they can still influence the outcome of the postseason with the trades they make. Even if Tanner Scott is the lone Marlins pitcher moved, his impact could solidify a contending team and turn them into a championship team.
Follow Us
Subscribe