Los Angeles Dodgers Sign All-Star Reliever Tanner Scott to 4-Year Contract

The defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, built argubaly the best starting pitching rotation in the National League when they won the sweepstakes for Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki earlier in the week.

The Dodgers coupled that move by adding arguably the best closer still available in free agency the morning of Jan. 18. They inked All-Star reliever Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million deal. MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand was first to report the move.

BREAKING: Tanner Scott and the Dodgers have agreed to a four-year, $72 million deal, per source.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 19, 2025

Los Angeles won out on the Sasaki sweepstakes at the expense of its National League West rivals the San Diego Padres, who fell in five games in a National League Divisional Series to the Dodgers. Scott most recently pitched for the Padres.

Scott is coming off his first All-Star selection in 2024. He began the year with the Miami Marlins before being traded to San Diego on July 30.

The eighth-year pro finished the year with an elite 1.75 ERA across 72 appearances with the two National League clubs. He struck out 84 batters in 72 innings pitched and had 22 saves in 24 opportunities. Opposing hitters averaged just .179 against him.

Tanner Scott, 99mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/d3TUxTH0Yu
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 12, 2024

Scott had 28 regular season outings with the Padres. He had a 2.73 ERA during the final two months of the season and fanned 31 batters in 26.1 innings pitched. He had four saves in as many opportunities. In the playoffs, Scott allowed just two hits and no earned runs (0.00 ERA) in five appearances. He struck out seven batters in 4.1 innings pitched.

With Scott joining one of the most stacked teams in MLB history, Los Angeles' luxury tax payroll will exceed $375 million in 2025, per a tweet from the Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. That's over $75 million more than the next-highest team, the Philadelphia Phillies. The defending American League champions, the New York Yankees, are the only other team expected to have a luxury tax payroll in excess of $300 million.

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