Los Angeles Dodgers star reliever Tanner Scott said he is ready to make his mark in 2026 after a rough 2025.
Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott is ready for a bounce-back 2026 season after struggling in his first season with the team.
“New year, new me. When I get two strikes, don’t leave it up in the zone,” Scott said at DodgerFest Saturday.
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Tanner Scott Had Nightmarish First Season With Dodgers in 2025
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman did something he rarely does by signing Scott to a four-year, $72 million deal last winter. Scott’s big-money deal certainly put the pressure on the reliever to perform and assume the role of the Dodgers’ closer.
There was no reason to believe Scott wouldn’t perform as he was coming off an All-Star season where he sported a 1.18 ERA with the Miami Marlins and a 2.73 ERA with the San Diego Padres after being traded at the deadline.
In 2025, Scott’s All-Star form was long forgotten as he produced a 4.74 ERA across 57 innings last season. He recorded an MLB-leading 10 blown saves. It was far from an ideal spot for Scott, who was supposed to be a massive upgrade of the Dodgers’ bullpen. Instead, L.A. had one of the worst bullpens in the league.
The problems weren’t limited to Scott; the rest of the relievers factored in as well. According to Fangraphs, the Dodgers’ bullpen piled up in what they constitute as 96 meltdowns in 2025. That staggering number was a major reason L.A. didn’t dominate as many expected them to, turning winnable games into crushing defeats.
Still, the Dodgers managed to win 93 games and win the National League West for the fourth consecutive season.
All eyes won’t be on Scott like they were the previous season; however, they do expect him to do even slightly better in 2026.
“I threw too many balls in the zone and got hit a lot, so it was terrible,” Scott said of his 2025 season.
With Edwin Diaz as the de facto closer this season, Scott could shine in the background and be a key cog for L.A.’s bullpen as they try to accomplish a three-peat.
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Category: General Sports
