Dodgers' Dave Roberts reveals what went wrong for $72M All-Star closer during career-worst season

Hunter Cookston

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Dodgers' Dave Roberts reveals what went wrong for $72M All-Star closer during career-worst season image

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2025 season, the Los Angeles Dodgers were coming off one of the best free-agent runs in back-to-back years. That stretch included the signing of elite reliever Tanner Scott. The Dodgers landed Scott on a $72 million deal, a move that created major optimism about what their bullpen could accomplish.

“A day after the Dodgers welcomed Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki, they introduced lefty relief ace Tanner Scott to Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon. Scott’s four-year, $72 million contract became official on Thursday, the club announced -- another move to massively upgrade their pitching staff,” MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell wrote.

During the season, however, Scott grew frustrated as he struggled to close out games and blew several leads. At one point, things became so difficult that Scott believed he might have been tipping his pitches, which is never a good sign for a closer.

““I don’t know if I’m tipping or what but they’re on everything. It sucks.... It was a fastball above the zone. Maybe I’m tipping. I have no friggin’ clue right now. It’s terrible. I’m having the worst year of my life. I gotta be better,” Scott told the media during the season

Recently, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed Scott’s struggles and provided some additional context.

“I think if you’re talking about a place where we can improve, I still feel last year was an outlier year for Tanner Scott,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently said. “I just think there were some things he kept under wraps about his body. I think the transition to L.A. And anything that could go wrong, went wrong. I just feel he works his tail off, he’s too talented, and his track record was nothing like last year. So I just think it was an outlier of a season.”

Roberts struck the right tone by addressing what Scott went through without making excuses on his behalf. Scott isn’t the type of player to deflect blame, but all signs point to a season where very little went right.

The Dodgers are aiming to win their third straight World Series, and Scott wants to be a major part of that pursuit. For the veteran closer, the focus will be on putting the 2025 season behind him—championship included—and moving forward with a fresh start.

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