Tanner Scott Eyes Redemption After Rocky 2025 Season with Dodgers
When the Dodgers signed Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million deal, it felt like another masterstroke in a two-year stretch that saw L.A. land some of the biggest names in baseball. The hard-throwing lefty was brought in to anchor the bullpen, a move that-on paper-gave the Dodgers one of the deepest pitching staffs in the league. But baseball, as we know, doesn’t always follow the script.
Scott’s first season in Dodger Blue didn’t go the way anyone envisioned. Instead of locking down the ninth inning, he found himself in unfamiliar territory-struggling to finish games, blowing leads, and searching for answers.
It reached a point where Scott himself wondered aloud if he was tipping pitches. That’s never something you want to hear from your closer, especially one with his pedigree.
“I don’t know if I’m tipping or what, but they’re on everything. It sucks,” Scott said during a particularly rough stretch.
“It was a fastball above the zone. Maybe I’m tipping.
I have no friggin’ clue right now. It’s terrible.
I’m having the worst year of my life. I gotta be better.”
Those are raw, honest words from a player who’s used to being the one shutting the door, not watching it swing open.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently addressed Scott’s tough season, offering a mix of support and insight-without sugarcoating what went wrong.
“If you’re talking about a place where we can improve, I still feel last year was an outlier year for Tanner Scott,” Roberts said. “There were some things he kept under wraps about his body.
I think the transition to L.A. and anything that could go wrong, went wrong. I just feel he works his tail off, he’s too talented, and his track record was nothing like last year.”
It’s a fair assessment. Roberts didn’t make excuses, but he also didn’t throw his guy under the bus. That’s the kind of leadership you want from a manager-and the kind of support a player like Scott needs as he looks to bounce back.
Because make no mistake: the Dodgers didn’t bring in Scott just to eat innings. He was supposed to be a high-leverage weapon, a late-inning hammer to help close out October games. And with the team chasing a third straight World Series title, they’ll need him to rediscover the form that made him one of the most effective left-handed relievers in the game.
Scott’s stuff is still electric. The velocity, the movement-it’s all there.
But in 2025, something was off. Whether it was mechanical, mental, or a mix of both, the results didn’t match the talent.
That’s why this offseason is so important. For Scott, it’s not just about getting back to the basics-it’s about resetting entirely.
The Dodgers know what they have in Tanner Scott. And Scott knows what’s expected of him. The 2025 season may have been a detour, but the road ahead still offers a chance at redemption-and a shot at being a key piece in another championship run.
If he can turn the page, Scott could be one of the best comeback stories in baseball next season. And in L.A., where expectations never take a day off, that kind of turnaround could make all the difference.