Tanner Scott: The Unpredictable Fireballer of Major League Baseball
Tanner Alexander Scott was born on July 22, 1994, in Warren, Ohio, a small town in the Mahoning Valley known more for its steel mills than its baseball prodigies. Growing up in the Rust Belt, Scott found solace and ambition on the diamond, where his left-handed pitching arm quickly set him apart. At Howland High School in Howland Township, he honed his craft, graduating in 2012 with a reputation as a hard-throwing southpaw. Baseball wasn’t just a game for Scott; it was an escape and a pathway out of the economic hardships that plagued his community. His high school coaches recall a lanky teenager with an unyielding work ethic, often staying late to perfect his slider—a pitch that would later become his signature weapon.
After high school, Scott’s journey took him to the collegiate ranks, but not the powerhouse programs one might expect. In 2013, he pitched for Notre Dame College, a Division II school in Ohio, where he posted solid numbers but yearned for more competition. The following year, he transferred to Howard College in Texas, a junior college known for producing MLB talent. There, Scott’s velocity spiked, regularly touching the mid-90s with his fastball, drawing scouts’ eyes. That summer, he tested his mettle in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League with the Chatham Anglers, a rite of passage for aspiring pros. His performances—marked by electric stuff but occasional wildness—caught the attention of major league teams. In the 2014 MLB Draft, the Baltimore Orioles selected him in the sixth round, 179th overall. Signing for a modest $175,000 bonus on June 26, 2014, Scott traded his college cleats for the Gulf Coast League, embarking on a professional odyssey that would span coasts and redefine his career.
Breaking In: The Orioles’ Wild Child
Scott’s minor league ascent was a rollercoaster, mirroring the inconsistency that would define his early MLB years. Debuting with the rookie-level Gulf Coast Orioles, he struggled in 2014, finishing 1-5 with a 6.26 ERA over ten starts, his command betraying his raw power. But 2015 brought refinement; splitting time between the Aberdeen IronBirds and Delmarva Shorebirds, he slashed his ERA to 3.83 in 42.1 innings, striking out 52 while walking 28—a harbinger of his high-strikeout, high-walk profile. The Arizona Fall League that winter sharpened his edge, where he fanned 17 in 15.2 innings.
By 2016, Scott had climbed to High-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie, posting a 5-4 mark with a 4.76 ERA in 43 relief outings. His transition to the bullpen unlocked his potential; no longer burdened by starter stamina, he could unleash his 97-mph fastball and wicked slider. In 2017, dominating Double-A with a 0-2 record but a stellar 2.22 ERA in 24 starts (wait, no relief now), he earned a September call-up to Baltimore. On September 20, against the Boston Red Sox, Scott made his MLB debut: one inning, two runs, but a strikeout of Deven Marrero for his first big-league K. Two days later, he retired two Rays batters cleanly. It was a brief cameo, but Scott had arrived.
The 2018 season thrust him into the majors full-time. After shuttling between Triple-A Norfolk and Baltimore, he logged 53.1 innings across 53 games, fanning 76 but inflating a 5.40 ERA with 35 walks. His 2019 mirrored this: a 4.78 ERA in 28 outings, plagued by control issues. Yet, glimpses of brilliance shone—his slider induced whiffs at an elite 46% clip. The shortened 2020 pandemic year was a revelation: 1.31 ERA, 23 strikeouts in 20.2 innings over 25 games, earning him a spot on Baltimore’s expanded roster. In 2021, he tied for the Orioles’ relief lead with five wins and 62 appearances, though his 5.17 ERA and 37 walks underscored persistent wildness. Over four-plus years in Baltimore (2017-2021), Scott appeared in 151 games, compiling a 9-15 record, 4.62 ERA, and 206 strikeouts in 184 innings. He was a tantalizing talent—electric, erratic, and expendable in a rebuilding Orioles bullpen.
Reinvention in Miami: From Setup Man to Closer
A midseason trade on April 3, 2022, to the Miami Marlins marked Scott’s turning point. Acquired with Cole Sulser for prospects and picks, he slotted into a Marlins pen craving lefty power. In 67 appearances, he delivered: 4.31 ERA, 90 strikeouts, and a career-high 20 saves in 62.2 innings. His fastball-slider combo overwhelmed righties (.189 opponent average), and for the first time, trust bloomed. Avoiding arbitration with a $2.825 million deal in 2023, Scott seized the closer’s role, authoring a breakout campaign: 9-5, 2.31 ERA, 104 strikeouts (league-high among NL relievers), and 12 saves in 78 innings. Named NL Reliever of the Month for September/October after a 3-1 stretch with 20 K’s and a .167 opponent average, he etched his name in Marlins lore.
The 2023 Wild Card Series debut against Philadelphia was scoreless perfection, a taste of October. Scott’s 2024 was even better: a 1.18 ERA in 44 games for Miami, 53 strikeouts, 18 saves, and his first All-Star nod. His slider’s two-plane break and fastball’s armside run made him unhittable (.150 opponent BA). But the Marlins, mired in rebuild, traded him July 30 to San Diego for prospects like Robby Snelling. With the Padres, Scott stabilized the late innings: 3-1, 2.73 ERA, 31 K’s, four saves in 26.1 innings. Postseason magic followed—4.1 scoreless frames in five NLDS games, including four strikeouts of Shohei Ohtani. From 2022-2024, Scott’s Marlins/Padres tenure yielded a 15-8 record, 2.50 ERA, and 34 saves, transforming him from wildcard to weapon.
Dodger Blue and Dodger Dreams: A Blockbuster Signing
Free agency beckoned in 2025, and Scott cashed in. On January 23, the Los Angeles Dodgers inked him to a four-year, $72 million pact—$18 million AAV—with a conditional fifth-year option tied to injury clauses, a nod to his durability concerns. Joining a star-studded bullpen alongside Evan Phillips and Blake Treinen, Scott aimed to fortify LA’s World Series pursuit. Early omens dazzled: On April 5 versus Philadelphia, he notched a save on three pitches against three batters—groundouts galore—joining the rarified air with Mariano Rivera and others as the fifth in MLB history.
Yet, 2025 proved a mixed bag. In 61 games, Scott hurled 57 innings: 4-4 record, 4.74 ERA, 60 strikeouts against 18 walks, and 23 saves. His WHIP climbed to 1.25, with 10 blown saves leading the league—a stark contrast to his prior lockdown form. Hard contact rose (42.3% hard-hit rate, 90.8 mph avg exit velo), and a July 22 lower-body issue (initially feared as a tear but later abscess) sidelined him briefly. Rehab stints followed, but rust lingered. Postseason woes compounded: Removed from the NLDS roster after Game 3 for abscess surgery, he watched the Dodgers’ back-to-back World Series run from afar, a bitter pill for the 31-year-old.
Pitching Profile: Heat, Deception, and the Slider Enigma
Scott’s arsenal is a study in extremes. At 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, he unleashes a four-seam fastball averaging 97 mph—borderline unhittable, with high whiff rates and fly-ball tendencies. His slider, clocking 89 mph, is a worm-killer: extreme groundball induction (via short glove-side cut and two-plane drop), ranking third in whiff percentage among sliders. A changeup sprinkles in for lefties, but the duo dominates. Through 2025, Scott’s career: 32-28, 3.72 ERA, 546 strikeouts in 546 appearances (all relief since 2016). His 11.67 K/9 is elite, but a 10.5% career walk rate (peaking at 15.9% in 2022) invites chaos. Advanced metrics shine: 2023’s 2.17 FIP led NL relievers; 2024’s 0.99 WHIP was top-15. In LA, barrel rate ticked up (9%), but his 31.1% K-rate remains top-25. Scott thrives on deception—release point tweaks and velocity play—making him a high-wire act.
Legacy in the Making: Challenges and Horizons
Tanner Scott’s career arc—from Ohio obscurity to $72 million closer—embodies resilience. Early wildness tempered into All-Star precision, then 2025’s regression tested his mettle. Blown saves stung, but 23 conversions and 60 K’s affirmed his value. Off the field, Scott’s quiet demeanor belies his fire; he’s a family man who mentors young pitchers on mental fortitude amid control battles. As free agency looms in 2029 (service time: 6.059), questions linger: Can he reclaim sub-3.00 ERA form? Dodgers’ depth offers runway, but health is paramount post-abscess.
At 31, Scott’s peak beckons. His journey—from Cape Cod dreams to Dodger Stadium drama—inspires underdogs. In a sport craving certainty, Scott delivers thrill: unhittable one night, unraveling the next. Yet, with 546 Ks and counting, his slider’s spin etches a legacy of what-ifs and wonders. As baseball evolves, Tanner Scott remains its most compelling lefty enigma, ready to rewrite the script.