GLENDALE, Ariz. — Tanner Scott was going through it last year when his season hit rock bottom in Baltimore.
On back-to-back nights, Scott gave up walkoff hits. After one game, he told the reporters crowded around his locker that he felt like “baseball hates me.”
Reminded of that after making his spring debut Saturday, Scott was able to chuckle at the statement – but not the season that put him in that place.
“A lot of things were not going right for me last year,” Scott said Saturday. “So yeah, it was tough. But it’s a new year. … Wash it, flush it like a toilet, and just let it be. It is what it is. Wasn’t that great last year. But new year.”
A lot of things did not go right for Scott last year. Signed to a four-year, $72 million contract before the season, his ERA (4.74) more than doubled from his previous two seasons (2.04) when he was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. Thrust into the closer’s role, he led the majors with 10 blown saves.
The ‘woe is me’ nature of Scott’s sentiment in Baltimore was noted by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
“It did, actually,” Roberts said when asked if that quote had made it onto his radar. “You never like your players saying something like that. It just speaks to where you’re at mentally. And he was in a very negative place. And so I do think that if he had to do that one over again, he would take that one back. Because that’s just not a good way to look at things. It’s a little self fulfilling.”
When the Dodgers signed Scott, they didn’t really envision him being their dedicated closer. Save opportunities were going to be spread around. But then Evan Phillips got hurt and required Tommy John surgery. Blake Treinen went on the injured list with a strained forearm. Kirby Yates, another free-agent investment, started to show his age, pitching ineffectively and battling injuries.
Scott acknowledged that he had “technically really never been a true closer. In Miami, I was a closer until I got traded to San Diego. Then I was in any spot to try to face Shohei (Ohtani). I had to do that way too often.”
He said his struggles last season were not tied to being locked into the ninth inning for most of his first season with the Dodgers.
“No,” he said. “The most uncomfortable thing was not doing well. Innings, it really doesn’t matter. You still have to do your job and get three outs, or more.”
With their signing of Edwin Diaz, the Dodgers have their closer and Scott becomes one of Roberts’ many options to get outs before the ninth inning – if he can recover his prior form.
“Can’t tell you. Secrets,” Scott joked when asked about the adjustments he is making.
Ironically, one of the things that pitching coach Mark Prior and Scott have identified as a problem last year was throwing “too many strikes” – or more precisely, too many hittable strikes.
“I just don’t think he was really throwing the baseball well last year,” Roberts said. “It seemed like everything had a magnet to the center of the plate.”
Scott said he has benefited from working with Prior, Connor McGuiness and Orel Hershiser, in camp as a guest instructor, this spring. Roberts is confident that it will lead to better things – and less hate from baseball.
“Tanner is getting a grasp on his slider is one thing he’s working through, whether it’s grip, shape, both,” Roberts said. “You would expect velocity will be consistent as we build up. Right now it’s 96 (mph), but velocity should tick up with adrenaline. Using the fastball in different locations. But honestly it’s more of waiting to see him face major-league hitters and seeing how it plays.
“I do expect him to have a much better season than he did last year, but the hitters will tell you.”
SNELL STATUS
There is nothing surprising about this. But Roberts confirmed Saturday that the chances of Blake Snell opening the season in the starting rotation are “probably zero.”
After experiencing shoulder problems last spring that lingered throughout the season – his shoulder never felt right at any point, Snell said – the left-hander has taken a much more cautious approach this spring. He is still stretching out in long toss and has yet to throw off a mound.
Roberts said Saturday he expects Snell to be throwing bullpen sessions by the end of spring training, but it’s unlikely he will pitch in a game before the Dodgers break camp.
ROUGH START
A year ago, Edgardo Henriquez disappointed the Dodgers when he suffered a broken bone in his foot in an off-the-field injury that sidelined him deep into the season. This spring, it’s his early performance that has been disappointing.
Henriquez came into camp with a chance to make the season-opening roster after posting a 2.37 ERA in 22 big-league appearances in 2025. He also contributed two scoreless innings during the 18-inning World Series Game 3.
But in his first two spring outings, the hard-throwing reliever has faced 10 batters and retired only three while hitting two, walking two and being charged with seven runs on three hits.
“These two outings have been very – I don’t know if it’s a regression but it just hasn’t been what we expected,” Roberts said. “We’ve got to get back and see where we can kind of get him back on track. This was not what we were hoping for the first two outings. We’ve got to get back to work with him.”
ALSO
Roberts said Mookie Betts will be in the lineup Sunday against the Angels. It will be Betts’ first game action of the spring. Will Smith is expected to play and then leave camp to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic.
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