Marlins Closer Tanner Scott Shuts the Door: Latest Save, Breakout Stats & Impact on Miami’s Playoff Push

LOS ANGELES — The honeymoon between the Dodgers and hard-throwing left-hander Tanner Scott is officially over. The offseason free-agent splash was signed to stabilize the ninth inning, but a brutal two-week stretch has re-ignited questions about his grip on the closer role and the club’s overall bullpen blueprint. Scott surrendered two more runs in Monday night’s 4-3, 10-inning loss to the New York Mets, marking the fourth time in eight appearances he has allowed multiple runs. Since May 20, the 29-year-old has been tagged for 12 runs (10 earned) in just six innings, ballooning his ERA from 1.86 to 4.62 and racking up three blown saves in the process. Manager Dave Roberts publicly backed his closer over the weekend, insisting the club “believes in the stuff” and expects a rebound, but he stopped short of guaranteeing that Scott will get every ninth-inning opportunity going forward. The guarded tone is a notable shift from April, when Roberts declared the ninth inning “spoken for.” Opponents are clearly making adjustments. Scott’s signature slider, which generated a 48 percent whiff rate last season in Miami, has been left up in the zone more frequently; hitters have posted a .385 average against the pitch since mid-May. Meanwhile his average fastball velocity is down a tick to 96.1 mph after peaking at 97.4 mph in April, according to Statcast. Scouts in attendance Monday clocked several heaters at 94-95. The ugly numbers have fueled outside speculation that Los Angeles could pivot at the trade deadline for late-inning help — or even internally promote flamethrowing rookie Josiah Gray, who has been lights-out in high-leverage spots. For now, the Dodgers are betting on a quick course correction. “Tanner’s track record tells us he’ll get back to attacking the zone and finishing hitters,” pitching coach Mark Prior said pre-game. “But the leash naturally gets shorter when you’re chasing a pennant.” Scott’s struggles have also reopened the conversation about his three-year, $39 million contract. Critics note the Dodgers could have allocated the money elsewhere; one popular fan-run site calculated that Scott’s 10 saves have effectively cost the club $1.3 million each when arbitration-priced alternatives are considered. The timing couldn’t be worse for a club navigating a jam-packed June schedule. Los Angeles plays 17 of its next 24 against teams currently above .500, including a rematch with the red-hot Mets tonight and a cross-town showdown with the Angels this weekend. If Scott wobbles again, Roberts hinted that match-up based ninth innings — think Evan Phillips vs. right-heavy pockets, or Brusdar Graterol vs. sinker-loving lineups — are on the table. The left-hander isn’t shying away from accountability. “I’m missing spots, plain and simple,” Scott said. “The stuff is there, the execution isn’t. I’ve been in ruts before and I’ll get out of this one. This team deserves better.” Interestingly, Scott revealed Sunday that offseason chatter linking him to the Yankees “never felt real” and that Los Angeles was the only club to present a concrete multiyear offer. The comment underscores how quickly pressure mounts when big-market expectations meet early adversity. KEY NUMBERS (SINCE MAY 20) • ERA: 15.00 • Opponent AVG: .406 • Whiff Rate: 25 % (down from 40 % in April) • First-pitch strikes: 54 % (career average 62 %) WHAT’S NEXT Roberts said Scott remains available for Tuesday’s contest but did not commit to using him in the ninth. The club could also leverage Thursday’s off-day to reset the bullpen hierarchy. Either way, the spotlight will stay fixed on Scott until he strings together a few clean frames. For a Dodgers team built to chase a championship, the ninth inning has suddenly become must-see TV — for all the wrong reasons.