The Los Angeles Dodgers were spared the worst with Tanner Scott.
After being pulled from a July 22 outing with what manager Dave Roberts described as a “stinging sensation” in his forearm, the left-handed reliever underwent imaging that revealed no ligament damage. Diagnosed with elbow inflammation, Scott was placed on the 15-day injured list. While the team labeled the injury as “short-term,” no one — not even Roberts — could define what that actually means.
“Talking to the doctors, trainers – it’s going to be short-term. What that means, I don’t think anybody really knows,” Roberts said. “They say it’s going to be shorter than longer, but until he starts throwing, I don’t think anyone really knows.”
Most recently, Roberts remained adamant the stint would be brief, even as he admitted there’s still “no clear timeline” for Scott’s return.
“I still believe it’s going to be a shorter stint,” Roberts said. “But given the sensation that he went through, felt we’re still going to be careful. I really don’t even know what that means.”
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Scott himself acknowledged the confusion surrounding the injury.
“I had no clue what was going on because I’ve never had an arm issue in my entire career,” Scott said after receiving the MRI. “It kept getting worse and I’m like, ‘I have no clue what it is.’ But after today, it kind of gave me like a clear head.”
Now shut down from throwing for several days, Scott awaits reevaluation. But his absence, even if temporary, is just the latest blow to a Dodgers bullpen that has crumbled under the weight of both injuries and underperformance.
Tanner Scott is now a $72 Million Question Mark
Scott has been a major investment. The Dodgers signed the 31-year-old southpaw to a four-year, $72 million deal in the offseason, hoping he would solidify the back end of their bullpen alongside Evan Phillips and Blake Treinen. Instead, he’s posted a 4.14 ERA with 19 saves and a league-leading seven blown saves through 47 outings.
His diminished effectiveness is backed by sharp statistical regressions. Last year, Scott’s fastball averaged 97 mph and placed him in the 91st percentile in average exit velocity allowed (84.3 mph). This season, his heater is down to 96.3 mph, and opponents are squaring him up much more effectively — his average exit velocity against has ballooned to 91.1 mph, ranking in just the 9th percentile.
“He’s not throwing the baseball as well as he’s gonna be throwing the baseball,” Roberts admitted. “But just to have somebody that’s there, that takes the baseball, has been huge.”
A Dodgers Bullpen in Shambles
Scott is the ninth Dodgers pitcher currently on the injured list. Phillips is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Treinen hasn’t pitched yet in 2025. Michael Kopech is dealing with a knee injury. Roki Sasaki is working his way back. And Brusdar Graterol, recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, still hasn’t appeared in a game.
Despite spending over $100 million on arms this past winter, the Dodgers rank 24th in bullpen ERA (4.35) and first in innings pitched — a sign of both overuse and underperformance.
Reinforcements — Internal and External
The Dodgers recently promoted two arms with high ceilings: Alexis Díaz, a former All-Star closer in Cincinnati, and Edgardo Henriquez, a 100-mph righty working back from injury. The team also believes some of its starters — including Blake Snell and eventually Sasaki — could shift into relief roles if rotation depth becomes a luxury.
“We feel like we’re gonna get to a place where we’re not gonna have enough starting pitcher spots for our starting pitching,” Friedman said. “So there could be some spillover of that into the bullpen.”
But even with creative internal reshuffling, the bullpen still needs another proven late-inning arm. Scott’s return would help — assuming his form improves. For now, though, the Dodgers will have to manage another critical stretch without one of the relievers they built their 2025 plan around.
And just as troubling: No one knows exactly when he’ll be back.