The Los Angeles Dodgers (88-69) should be vying for the No. 1 seed in the National League right now, but instead, they are only one and a half games ahead of the San Diego padres in the NL West. An unstable bullpen has prevented the reigning World Series champions from building the kind of momentum that fans are accustomed to seeing. Tanner Scott continues to be arguably the biggest culprit. His latest implosion has people reaching their breaking point.
The left-handed closer, who signed a four-year, $72 million contract in January, wasted a marvelous outing by Shohei Ohtani in Tuesday night's face-off with the Arizona Diamondbacks. LA entered the ninth inning with a 4-3 lead, but by the time Scott walked off the mound, the Snakes were celebrating a 5-4 walk-off win and he was trying to process his MLB-leading 10th blown save of the year.
The 2024 All-Star put the first two batters on base via a hit by pitch and a walk, digging himself into a hole he was unable to escape. Jorge Barrosa tied the game with a sacrifice fly, and the criminally underrated Geraldo Perdomo notched a single to deliver the fatal blow in Chase Field. Dodgers fans are ready to riot. They are not holding back when it comes to their feelings for Scott.
How much longer will the Dodgers trust Tanner Scott?
“Tanner Scott may not make it on the postseason roster,” @iHitSplits posted on X after the stinging loss. “Tanner Scott needs to be in jail,” @BATES_015 remarked. I’m not even playing at this point.”
“Tanner Scott gotta go,” @RichardZane32 commented. “That has the be the last we ever see of him in a Dodger uniform. Completely OK paying him to pitch against us.” Others are begging the Dodgers manager to stop trusting the beleaguered hurler.
“Dave Roberts, how can you keep defending putting Scott out on the mound,” @dahomes said. “TEN. BLOWN. SAVES!!! He's the worst. Put Kike in. Put Orel or Joe Davis in! But no more Tanner Scott!”
Once a celebrated free agency signing and another potential dagger to plunge into the heart of Padres fans, Scott has disappointed in his first season in LA. There were some warning signs — the 2014 sixth-round draft pick has battled control issues for much of his career — but a superb two-year stretch capped off by a dominant 2024 postseason earned him a steep contract over the winter. The Dodgers have not gotten what they paid for, at least not yet.
Scott owns a 4.91 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 59 appearances this year, causing many to wonder what his role will be in October. An encouraging stretch that included four consecutive scoreless outings has now vanished from the fan base's memory. He has the stuff to win a big game for this team, but Los Angeles cannot afford to go through the playoffs on reputation or blind faith. The 31-year-old has to earn trust.
Unfortunately, he does not have much time left to do so.
