Does Tanner Scott’s Struggles Make the Los Angeles Dodgers Trade For Another Closer?

Dodgers Closer Tanner Scott has not produced the numbers that he and the Los Angeles Dodgers would have hoped for in the first half. Scott has a 4.09 ERA in 44 innings and hasn’t looked like the dominant pitcher he’s been in the past. With the trade deadline looming, is Tanner Scott’s struggles enough to convince the Dodgers to go out and trade for another back-end reliever, or is it just a rough start?

Breaking Down Tanner Scott’s Struggles

Tanner Scott allowed eight home runs in the first half, which is already more than he’s ever allowed in a complete season. His strikeouts per nine innings are the lowest since 2020, and he has the highest home runs per nine innings of his career as well. He’s striking out fewer batters than he ever has, and he’s giving up more home runs than ever.

However, his ERA is lower than his fielding independent pitching metric, which suggests he’s getting a tad unlucky this season. But he leads Major League Baseball in blown saves with seven, which isn’t great. The Dodgers could go to the trade market and get another back-end of the bullpen to help Tanner Scott out. The All-Star break could be what he needs to get back on track. 

The Big Question 

Is Tanner Scott struggling this season? Yes. Do the Dodgers need to panic and make a move for another closer? Not necessarily. The Dodgers are such a deep team, top to bottom, that Tanner Scott struggling isn’t going to sink their season. The Dodgers have the right personnel on their staff who’ll be able to figure out what’s going on. 

The benefits of having one of the biggest payrolls in baseball go beyond getting the best players. It also allows players to go through slumps, and it does not hinder the team because of how talented they are around that specific player.