Tanner Scott Isn’t Running From 2025 - He’s Owning It, Learning From It, and Ready to Be the Real Version Again
LOS ANGELES - Tanner Scott didn’t sugarcoat it. Standing in front of fans and media at DodgerFest, he didn’t try to spin his first season in Los Angeles into something it wasn’t.
He called it like he saw it: “terrible.” That’s the word he used - more than once - and not with any trace of self-pity.
Just honesty. The kind that tells you a guy’s not hiding from what went wrong, but ready to fix it.
That kind of blunt self-assessment is rare in quick-hit fan events, but Scott wasn’t interested in dodging the obvious. He knows 2025 didn’t go the way he - or the Dodgers - hoped it would for him individually. But he also knows where it went off the rails, and more importantly, what needs to change.
“Not being as bad as I was last year,” he said, when asked how he’s feeling heading into camp. “Last year was kind of terrible for me, but it’s a new year. It’s 2026, and move forward.”
Let’s be clear: this isn’t a reliever trying to reinvent himself. It’s a guy who knows exactly what works for him - and how he drifted away from it.
His diagnosis? Surprisingly simple, and refreshingly candid.
“I threw too many balls in the zone and got hit a lot,” Scott said. “So, it was terrible.”
That’s a revealing statement for a guy whose game thrives on getting hitters to chase. Scott’s stuff has never been the issue - the velocity, the spin, the movement - it’s all still there.
But last season, he got away from the formula that made him so effective with the Marlins and Padres. He pounded the zone too much, got predictable, and paid for it.
“Not being as predictable,” he said, when asked what “better” looks like in 2026. “Using my putaway pitches when I need them and not going two strikes and letting off a hit. That was terrible.”
So what’s the fix? It’s not about adding a new pitch or overhauling his mechanics. It’s about execution - locating to both sides of the plate, staying out of the middle, and trusting his stuff again.
“Trusting my stuff, trusting the coaches,” Scott said. “We got a great staff and we got great teammates, so it’s going to be fun.”
That last part matters. Because for all the frustration of 2025, Scott still walked away with a ring.
He was part of a championship team, even if he wasn’t on the mound when it mattered most. And that experience - the good and the bad - is shaping how he’s approaching this season.
When asked about the team’s offseason moves, his response was equal parts excitement and curiosity. Edwin Díaz joining the bullpen?
Kyle Tucker coming in? That’s not just big - it’s huge.
“Anyone that we added, Kyle Tucker, I mean, that’s sweet,” Scott said. “Edwin’s awesome.
I can’t wait to meet him. I haven’t met him yet, so it’s going to be fun.
Our bullpen’s stacked.”
That’s a key point. Because over 162 games, bullpens aren’t about one guy carrying the load.
They’re about depth. Matchups.
Trust. The Dodgers know that, and clearly, so does Scott.
He’s not worried about pecking order - he’s focused on being one of several dependable arms that can be leaned on when it counts.
And when it came to explaining why he strayed from what worked, Scott didn’t point fingers or blame bad luck. He looked inward.
“I tried doing something that I didn’t normally do,” he said. “I didn’t play to my strengths the past two years, and the past two years before that were really good, and I kind of got away from that.”
Why? Expectations.
Pressure. The desire to be perfect - something that creeps in when you’re trying to prove yourself on a new team, in a new market, on a roster built to win now.
“Expectations,” he said. “Trying to be perfect.”
Then he paused. “Try to be myself.”
That shift - from chasing perfection to trusting what’s already in the toolbox - might be the most important adjustment Scott makes this year. And he knows exactly when that realization hit him.
“Definitely in September,” he said. “And then leading up to the playoffs.”
That’s when he had time to sit with it. To reflect.
To watch - not pitch - as the Dodgers made their run. And while no competitor wants to be sidelined, Scott found clarity in the downtime.
“It gives you more time to reflect on what happened and what you can change,” he said. “It was kind of a blessing in disguise that it happened and it got me to reflect.”
Still, watching the postseason from the dugout wasn’t easy.
“I had to watch it,” Scott said. “I had to watch the series. But I’m glad we won, and I just learned.”
There’s a lot packed into that statement - pride in the team, frustration at being unavailable, and a genuine desire to take something from the experience. That’s not just the mindset of a guy looking to rebound - that’s a competitor who understands what it takes to stay in the fight.
And for those wondering if the raw stuff is still there - the heater, the wipeout slider, the ability to miss bats - Scott didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, I’m pretty confident on it,” he said. “It was hopefully a fluke year, and this year it’s back to 23 and 24.”
One more thing stood out from his DodgerFest appearance. When asked what surprised him most about his first year in L.A., Scott didn’t mention the media attention or the spotlight that comes with wearing Dodger blue. He talked about the people.
“They care about you and they care about your family,” he said. “They care about winning, and that’s huge.
An organization to do that is insane. See how good we are now.”
And yes, he’s already doing some light recruiting. Asked if he’s been in touch with fellow reliever Evan Phillips this offseason, Scott smiled.
“I do talk to Evan quite often,” he said. “We’ll see where it goes.
I like the guy. I hope he comes back.”
So where is Tanner Scott heading into 2026? He’s not trying to erase 2025 - he’s learning from it.
He’s not chasing perfection - he’s getting back to what works. And if that version shows up this season, the Dodgers won’t need a reinvented Tanner Scott.
They’ll just need the real one.