{"id":89722,"date":"2024-11-15T17:35:21","date_gmt":"2024-11-15T22:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=89722"},"modified":"2024-11-15T17:35:21","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T22:35:21","slug":"tanner-scott-coveted-reliever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/11\/15\/tanner-scott-coveted-reliever\/","title":{"rendered":"Elite Southpaw Is Most Coveted Reliever This Offseason"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the offseason buzz centers on aces and big bats, some of the market\u2019s top bullpen arms are flying under the radar. Yet, for teams looking to fortify their late-game relief corps, one name stands out: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/scottta01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tanner Scott<\/a>. The 30-year-old left-hander has emerged as one of baseball\u2019s most dominant relievers and is primed to be one of the most coveted arms in free agency.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Elite Southpaw Is Most Coveted Reliever This Offseason<\/h2>\n<h3>Tanner Scott&#8217;s Free Agent Profile<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scott split his stellar 2024 season between the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres. After earning All-Star honors as the Marlins\u2019 closer in the first half, he was traded to San Diego at the deadline, where he bolstered one of MLB\u2019s top bullpens. Over 72 innings, Scott delivered a 1.75 ERA (252 ERA+), a 9-6 record, 22 saves, and 84 strikeouts. Though he served as an eighth-inning setup man in San Diego, Scott is poised to reclaim a closer role in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key to his success? It&#8217;s a devastating two-pitch arsenal. Scott pairs a blazing 97 mph fastball with a deadly 88.5 mph slider, which powered his 145 Stuff+ rating in 2024. This mix not only generates swings and misses but also limits hard contact. Opposing hitters mustered a mere .179\/.285\/.243 line against him, with just three home runs all season. Left-handed batters fared even worse, slashing .132\/.224\/.191 without a single homer. Also, w<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hen it comes to postseason pressure, Scott shines. Across 5 \u2153 playoff innings with the Marlins and Padres, he\u2019s allowed no earned runs and only two hits.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Tanner Scott 2024 strikeouts nasty fastball slider combo <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/E6cYHOzWG0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/E6cYHOzWG0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TooMuchMortons_\/status\/1818400747253551201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 30, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p>&nbsp;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Market Value<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Scott may not command the record-breaking deals earned by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/haderjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Josh Hader<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=diazed04,diaz--005edw,diazed03&amp;search=Edwin+D\u00edaz&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Edwin D\u00edaz<\/a>, he\u2019s in line for a substantial payday. Spotrac projects a four-year, $65.6 million contract, with an average annual value (AAV) of $16 million. Though slightly below Hader ($19M AAV) and D\u00edaz ($20M AAV), this figure reflects Scott\u2019s status as a premier left-handed closer. If a bidding war breaks out, his deal could easily exceed these projections.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Top Potential Fits<\/h3>\n<h3><strong>Philadelphia Phillies<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Phillies showed interest in Scott at the 2024 trade deadline, and now they have another shot at securing him. With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/e\/estevca01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Carlos Est\u00e9vez<\/a> and All-Star <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=hoffmje02,hoffma003jef&amp;search=Jeff+Hoffman&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jeff Hoffman<\/a> potentially departing in free agency, Scott could become the anchor of a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/10\/18\/phillies-bullpen-offseason-decisions\/\" target=\"_self\">revamped bullpen<\/a> in Philadelphia.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Boston Red Sox<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Red Sox are reportedly aiming for a <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.masslive.com\/redsox\/2024\/11\/juan-soto-red-sox-get-acquainted-in-productive-3-hour-socal-meeting.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">splashy offseason<\/a>, as evidenced by their interest in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=sotoju01,soto--004jua&amp;search=Juan+Soto&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Juan Soto<\/a>. With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/j\/janseke01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kenley Jansen<\/a> now a free agent, adding Scott as a closer would bolster their bullpen and signal a serious commitment to contention in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>New York Yankees<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following a crushing World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees face a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/10\/31\/yankees-offseason-five-questions\/\" target=\"_self\">pivotal offseason<\/a>. Re-signing Juan Soto will be their top priority, but they also have other needs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/holmecl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Clay Holmes<\/a>\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/08\/04\/yankees-closer-clay-holmes\/\" target=\"_self\">inconsistent 2024 campaign<\/a> and likely departure leave a glaring hole at closer. Scott\u2019s lights-out repertoire could provide the reliability New York\u2019s bullpen desperately needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">&#8220;If the Yankees want to be the Yankees&#8230; Tanner Scott would be massive.&#8221;<a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JakePeavy_22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@JakePeavy_22<\/a> reacts to reports of the AL pennant winners aggressively looking to revamp their bullpen for 2025.<a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/MLBTonight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#MLBTonight<\/a> | <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adnansvirk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@adnansvirk<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KvEWklWzGi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/KvEWklWzGi<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MLBNetwork\/status\/1854359871833158121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Los Angeles Dodgers<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Padres fans may want to look away. The Dodgers, another team linked to Scott at the trade deadline, remain a potential suitor. With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/t\/treinbl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blake Treinen<\/a> hitting free agency, Scott would be a perfect fit for the Dodgers, who have both the resources and the desire to keep their bullpen elite. Having witnessed Scott&#8217;s dominance firsthand during the National League Division Series against San Diego, Los Angeles could make a strong push to bring the southpaw to Chavez Ravine.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>The Last Word<\/h3>\n<p>Scott\u2019s electric arm makes him a prime target for any contender looking to solidify the back end of their bullpen. Wherever he lands, one thing is clear: Scott\u2019s ability to dominate on the mound will make him a game-changer for his next team.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credits: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While the offseason buzz centers on aces and big bats, some of the market\u2019s top bullpen arms are flying under the radar. Yet, for teams looking to fortify their late-game relief corps, one name stands out: Tanner Scott. The 30-year-old left-hander has emerged as one of baseball\u2019s most dominant relievers and is primed to be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5263,"featured_media":89759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,1071,30],"tags":[240,92,41,268],"class_list":["post-89722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-mlb","category-padres","tag-boston-red-sox","tag-los-angeles-dodgers","tag-new-york-yankees","tag-philadelphia-phillies"],"modified_by":"Evan Mazza, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5263"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89722\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}