Dodgers News: Brandon Gomes Expects Rebound Year from Tanner Scott in 2026

LAS VEGAS, NV—Despite winning the 2024 World Series against the formidable New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers maintained their aggressive approach from that offseason by adding several new players to their already deep roster.

Among those names was left-handed relief pitcher Tanner Scott, who had tormented them in the second half of the 2024 season with the San Diego Padres.

Scott, one of the best late-inning arms in baseball, was finally a free agent ready to cash in on the success of his previous four seasons with the Miami Marlins and the Padres.

The Dodgers unexpectedly won the bidding and signed Scott to a 4-year, $72 million deal, marking their first secure closer since Kenley Jansen left in free agency after the 2021 season.

Scott, 30, was one of the top five relievers in baseball during the 2024 season, and he was undoubtedly the best left-handed pitcher. He concluded his 2024 campaign with 72 innings pitched, a 1.75 ERA, and 84 strikeouts (28.6%). Additionally, Scott is wrapping up a highly effective two-year period, during which he posted a 2.04 ERA over 150 innings with both the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers had hoped he would solidify the late-inning options for manager Dave Roberts, but, as we all saw, that was not the case this season.

Overall, Scott posted career-worst numbers across the board in his first season in Dodger Blue. The left-hander has an ERA of 4.74, a FIP of 4.70, and the National League’s worst eleven blown saves.

Scott’s strikeout rate of 25.2% was the lowest mark since his rookie season in Baltimore, when he also posted an ERA of 10.80 in just a handful of appearances.

When October arrived, Scott was initially part of the Dodgers’ 26-man roster for the National League Wild Card Series against the Cincinnati Reds and the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, before being removed due to a lower-body injury that required surgery.

Still, he never appeared once in a game and was likely only on the roster due to his $18 million salary for the season, rather than on-field performance.

Regardless of how the 2025 season went for Scott, the Dodgers are stuck with him, but despite his struggles, Dodgers General Manager Brandon Gomes expects a rebound in his second year with the Dodgers.

“He’s certainly one of the guys in that group,” Gomes said at the annual General Manager Meetings in Las Vegas. “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.”

The Dodgers will still look to retool their bullpen this winter, as it was a major factor in the team’s third-place finish in the National League standings, and while they did win the World Series, it was off the backs of their elite starting pitching.

The primary target for Los Angeles, per multiple MLB insiders, is adding a late-inning right-handed option, with former NL All-Star Devin Williams’ name being at the forefront of those early discussions.

Still, how much Andrew Friedman and Co. are willing to invest in the bullpen in dollars remains to be seen, as last offseason was a stark contrast to how the team had done business in the past with relief pitchers.

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