The Los Angeles Dodgers once again are without Edwin Díaz was he was put on the 15-day injured list Tuesday due to neck inflammation. Díaz previously missed more than three months while recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.
During that time the Dodgers primarily turned to Tanner Scott to fill in as their temporary closer. It of course is a role he is plenty familiar with, having saved games for the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres before signing with the Dodgers.
Tanner Scott back in Dodgers closer role
As the Dodgers await more clarity on Díaz’s neck injury following an MRI and visit with Dr. Robert Watkins, manager Dave Roberts said they once again are going to rely on Scott to be the closer.
When the Dodgers signed Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract before the 2025 season, general manager Brandon Gomes said he would receive the bulk of save opportunities but stopped short of formally naming him the team’s only closer.
There wasn’t any hedging Díaz, however, as Gomes confirmed he was signed to be the Dodgers’ closer.
During the time Díaz missed after elbow surgery, Scott went 1-3 with 16 saves, two blown saves, a 2.65 ERA, 2.11 FIP and 0.85 WHIP while holding opponents to a .192/.236/.317 batting line. One of his saves was a five-out appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies to help the Dodgers snap a two-game losing streak.
Despite Scott’s success, there wasn’t any question for the Dodgers on who would be closer once Díaz returned. And even as he continued to falter over recent weeks, Roberts remained committed to Díaz.
“Give me another option,” Roberts responded when asked last week if Díaz would benefit from a change to pitching in lower-leverage situations. Díaz had just blown a fourth save of the season, and third in his last five games.
“I can’t just say, ‘Change to low leverage.’ I have to have other options, and to be quite honest, none of those guys are really throwing the baseball great.”
Roberts’ comments came across somewhat curious given Scott’s overall quality season as he’s bounced back from a poor first year with the Dodgers. And now the team needs the lefty 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.
In his first opportunity since Díaz landed back on the injured list, Scott allowed one run en route to converting a four-out save.
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