Dodgers' Tanner Scott Struggles Amid Manager Criticism After 4-3 Loss to Mets

Tanner Scott, the Los Angeles Dodgers' $72 million closer, has been struggling significantly in the 2025 season, with a 4.73 ERA and multiple blown saves, including a costly performance in an extra-inning loss to the New York Mets. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts openly acknowledged Scott's issues, attributing his struggles primarily to poor command and missed locations despite maintaining good velocity and pitch quality. Scott's early dominance in the season faded after mid-May, with his ERA ballooning and save opportunities slipping away, leading to increased pressure given his lucrative contract and the team's lack of alternative closing options due to injuries. Despite the setbacks, Roberts and Scott himself remain hopeful about improvement, emphasizing that perfection is unattainable and that Scott's performance can rebound based on his prior success in 2024 when he posted a 1.75 ERA. The Dodgers' recent losses highlight the urgency for Scott to regain form as his struggles have undermined the team's late-game comebacks and overall bullpen reliability. Both the manager's candid criticism and Scott's own admission underscore the gap between expectations and current performance, framing the situation as a work in progress rather than a lost cause.