Dodgers' Tanner Scott Decision Makes Absolutely No Sense

Tanner Scott Reaches New Low

Scott’s struggles have only worsened as the postseason nears. During last week’s series against the Baltimore Orioles, he allowed a walk-off home run in a high-leverage spot on Friday. Then on Saturday, with a 3-2 lead and one out to go, Scott entered a bases-loaded situation and gave up another walk-off single, spoiling Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s gem.

Most recently, on Friday against the San Francisco Giants, Scott was tasked with extending the game to the eleventh inning. Instead, he allowed a walk-off grand slam to Patrick Bailey, a career .627 OPS hitter.

After the game, Scott admitted, "I don't know if I'm tipping or what but they're on everything. It sucks... I'm having the worst year of my life."

Dave Roberts Must Make Tanner Scott Move

Despite the mounting failures, manager Dave Roberts has continued placing Scott in high-leverage situations. Roberts explained the decision as part of a process to determine which arms he can trust in October.

The problem is that Scott has singlehandedly damaged the Dodgers’ postseason positioning. The team now sits in the third seed in the National League, likely heading into a wild card series instead of securing a first-round bye.

What’s baffling is that Roberts has two elite left-handed options available to ease Scott into lower-leverage spots and rebuild his confidence.

Alex Vesia has quietly remained one of the most consistent arms in the Dodgers bullpen. The 29-year-old southpaw owns a 2.59 ERA across five seasons in Los Angeles and continues to be a reliable and effective option.

If not Vesia, rookie left-hander Jack Dreyer has emerged as a hidden gem. Dreyer wasn’t a top prospect prior to his debut, but his numbers speak for themselves. He holds a 2.69 ERA across 60 appearances and has improved since the All-Star break, posting a 2.05 ERA.
Although Dreyer doesn’t have overpowering stuff, he limits hard contact—something Scott has failed to do.

As playoff baseball nears and the Dodgers continue battling for positioning, the decision to keep entrusting Scott in high-leverage spots is not a wise one.