With Edwin Díaz being placed on the 15-day injured list due to neck inflammation, the Los Angeles Dodgers are again turning to Tanner Scott as their temporary closer.
The left-hander is in the midst of a resurgent season and previously thrived in the closer role when Díaz missed more than three months while recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.
At the time of being moved into a ninth-inning role, Scott said he didn’t care about labels and was willing to pitch at any time if it meant helping the team win. That’s a sentiment Scott continues to hold as he again is being tasked with filling in as Dodgers closer for at least the next two weeks.
“I just wait for the phone to ring. I don’t care when. You get the adrenaline rush when your name is called, and you just go out there and pitch,” Scott said on SportsNet LA.
When Díaz was sidelined earlier this season, Scott converted 16 of his 18 save opportunities while posting a 2.65 ERA, 2.11 FIP and 0.85 WHIP as Dodgers closer. One of his saves was a five-out appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies to help L.A. snap a two-game losing streak.
Scott received his first opportunity Tuesday since being promoted to Dodgers closer for the second time this season, recording four outs at Coors Field. He allowed one run on two hits against the Colorado Rockies en route to his 17th save.
The Dodgers called on Scott again in the series finale and he retired the side in order in the 10th inning. One night after throwing a season-high 27 pitches, Scott needed only eight on Wednesday.
Scott is in the second season of a four-year, $72 million contract. He has gone 1-3 with a 2.32 ERA, 2.37 FIP, 0.93 WHIP and 11.1 strikeouts per nine in 50.1 innings across 54 appearances so far this year.
Dodgers counting on Tanner Scott
Prior to Díaz going back on the IL, manager Dave Roberts was hesitant to remove him from the closer role despite his struggles in recent weeks. Roberts went as far as saying the club did not have a viable alternative, which was curious considering Scott has bounced back from a poor first year with the Dodgers.
L.A. now needs the 32-year-old to be a lockdown reliever as they forge ahead without Díaz for at least the next two weeks amid a battle to secure one of the top seeds in the National League.
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