The Dodgers still want, and need, to acquire a reliever in the next nine days.
But, at some point after July 31 trade deadline, they are hopeful of adding Tanner Scott back into the bullpen mix too.
In what could be the latest bullet the Dodgers have dodged on the injury front recently, Scott was put on the injured list Tuesday with what was initially described as “elbow inflammation” — preserving hope that his season might not be over after exiting Monday’s game with a “stinging sensation” in his forearm.
As of Tuesday afternoon, manager Dave Roberts and general manager Brandon Gomes said the club was awaiting its medical staff to fully review the results of an MRI exam that Scott had earlier in the day.
But both noted that Scott, who turned 31 on Tuesday, reported improvement in his elbow compared to how he felt Monday, when he walked off the mound flexing his throwing arm after spiking a slider in the dirt during the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ series-opening win over the Minnesota Twins.
“Tanner came in feeling pretty good,” Gomes said, “so we’ll wait to see the full report and go from there.”
“I’m still hopeful that we’ll get Tanner back at some point,” Roberts added.
Scott has underwhelmed in the first season of his four-year, $72-million contract with the team, posting a 4.14 ERA in 47 outings with only 19 saves in 26 opportunities.
However, losing him for the season would have been a significant blow to a Dodgers team that has already seen key reliever Evan Phillips undergo Tommy John surgery, and navigated around long-term injuries to Blake Treinen (who is nearing the completion of a rehab assignment), Michael Kopech (who is hopeful of returning from the 60-day IL when eligible in late August) and Brusdar Graterol (who is still expected back from an offseason shoulder surgery that has sidelined him all year).
“He’s not throwing the baseball as well as he’s gonna be throwing the baseball,” Roberts said, maintaining hope not only that Scott will return but also flash improved form down the stretch this year. “But just to have somebody that’s there, that takes the baseball, has been huge.”
Of course, Scott’s troubles (along with similar scuffles from fellow offseason signing Kirby Yates) have highlighted the need for the Dodgers to target another high-leverage reliever at this year’s deadline and bolster a bullpen that ranks 24th in ERA and a far-and-away first in innings pitched.
Before Scott’s injury Monday, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said “any time a needle-moving player is available, we’re gonna get involved,” when asked how aggressive the team will be in addressing its bullpen need.
To that end, there should be no shortage of attractive options, with as many as nine top relievers expected to be available to some degree — from Minnesota Twins flamethrower Jhoan Durán, to multi-time All-Stars such as Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians and David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates, to established veteran closers such as the Tampa Bay Rays’ Pete Fairbanks and Baltimore Orioles’ Félix Bautista, and maybe even young Athletics star Mason Miller.
Outside of St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Ryan Helsley, however, almost all of this year’s biggest relief targets are under team control beyond this season.
That means acquisition costs will be high, at least in the eyes of a Dodgers’ front office that has long been wary of overspending on relievers at the deadline.
“The prices are always crazy come the deadline,” Gomes said. “That’s why we did everything we could this offseason to not have to be in the position to buy.”
The Dodgers do have internal depth they like.
This week, the team called up Edgardo Henriquez, a hard-throwing right-hander who missed the start of the year with a broken foot, and Alexis Diaz, the former All-Star closer for the Cincinnati Reds.
Friedman also suggested that, with Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki working toward returns from injury, there could be surplus starting pitchers who eventually get moved into the bullpen later this year.
“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.”
However, adding another high-leverage arm to the back end of the group remains a priority.
Had Scott been lost for the year, that burden only would’ve grown.
“Once we get Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache’s take on it, we’ll obviously have more clarity,” said Roberts, who plans to go closer-by-committee in Scott’s absence. “But right now, him talking to the training staff, we feel good about it.”
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