The San Diego Padres might see All-Star reliever sign with a recent World Series champion during free agency.
He was efficient and impactful for the Padres in 2024
He recorded 22 saves during the 2024 season, including four after being traded midseason from the Miami Marlins to the Padres. He demonstrated that his strong strikeout numbers and efficiency in 2023 were no accident, finishing the year with a 1.75 ERA, a 1.125 WHIP, and 84 strikeouts.
Padres need His prowess in adversity over AL foes
When the stakes were highest, the 30-year-old shined. He didn’t allow a single earned run in six playoff appearances for San Diego. As McCullough noted, the Ohio native posted a 1.72 ERA in save situations and a 1.78 ERA in non-save situations. When called upon to extinguish rallies, Scott held opposing hitters to an impressive .088/.184/.088 slash line when the team was trailing.
A move from the Padres to the Texas Rangers in the American League West would weaken San Diego’s bullpen while giving Texas an elite late-game closer. Despite their talent in 2024, the Padres fell short against their National League West rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the postseason. This may prompt the franchise to seriously evaluate their strategy for retaining this key bullpen piece in their pursuit of a championship in 2025.
Padres’ Tanner Scott forecasted to land on Rangers
The Athletic’s Andy McCullough has highlighted Tanner Scott as an ideal trade target for the Texas Rangers. Speaking to Patrick McAvoy of The Sporting News, McCullough explained how Scott could be a pivotal addition to the 2023 Fall Classic champions:
“Tanner Scott, a left-handed pitcher, is a great fit,” McCullough remarked. “The Rangers believe they can contend in 2025, with much of the 2023 championship lineup still intact. Jacob deGrom is expected to start the season at full strength. While owner Ray Davis likely won’t greenlight the significant spending spree seen in prior years, there may be room for an impactful addition like Scott.
“Over the last two seasons, Scott has been baseball’s most valuable reliever, according to FanGraphs. When he’s in the zone, he’s nearly unstoppable. He even dominated Shohei Ohtani during the postseason. Whether closing games or extinguishing high-pressure situations, Scott would be a key piece for a team aiming to return to October.”
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