After leading MLB in regular season blown saves with 10, fans were happy to see Tanner Scott held off the Los Angeles Dodgers' playoff and, by extension, World Series roster out of a feat of history repeating itself.
Sure, Dave Roberts said the decision wasn't performance-based, with Scott having a procedure on an abscess during the run, but the Dodgers certainly didn't miss their high-priced relief option, with the combination of Roki Sasaki, Blake Treinin, and eventual World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto holding things down in the ninth inning on the way to a second-straight Fall Classic victory.
So naturally, with the Dodgers looking to add another high-profile arm to the back end of their bullpen, it would make sense that Scott's tenure with the team would be over, be that via trade or even an outright release, right? Well, not necessarily, as, during his press time at the MLB GM Meetings in Las Vegas, Brandon Gomes let it be known that Scott is still in the mix to close out games for the Dodgers in 2026.
“He’s certainly one of the guys in that group,” Gomes said via Fabian Ardaya. “I think we’ve seen it in the past with guys, there is reliever volatility. Unfortunately, we’ve seen this happen in the past with other great relievers. So our full belief is that Tanner is 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 games.”
Should the Dodgers add another closer to their roster before spring training opens up? Yes, they most assuredly should, as all the best available options will likely be off the table before the team can see if Scott has recaptured his vintage form in the spring. Why? Because closers are incredibly in demand and worst-case scenario, the Dodgers end up with two quality arms to close out games, which is a whole lot better than having zero, as was the case for much of 2025, even if the final results gloss that over to a degree.
