Insider Predicts Padres Lose $54 Million All-Star to NL West Rival

Maren Angus-Coombs | Dec 3, 2024

Sep 21, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Elias Diaz (left) and relief pitcher Tanner Scott (right) celebrate on the field after defeating the Chicago White Sox at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

Following a standout season, Tanner Scott is expected to draw significant interest from teams around Major League Baseball.

After being selected to his first All-Star game, the 30-year-old left-hander is generating buzz as one of the best relief pitchers on the free agent market.

With that being said, David Schoenfield of ESPN linked the reliever to another team in the National League West as a potential suitor — the Arizona Diamondbacks. Schoenfield predicts the D-backs to sign Scott for around four years and $54 million.

"The Diamondbacks' bullpen has been the team's weak spot the past two seasons (other than pitching well down the stretch in 2023), ranking 26th in ERA in 2024 and 18th the year before," he writes. "They did pick up A.J. Puk from the Marlins at the deadline this past season and he was dominant with Arizona (1.32 ERA). Justin Martinez flashed upside with his 100 mph heater and Kevin Ginkel is solid. But, like the rest of the NL, the Diamondbacks need to figure out how to match up with the Dodgers, and adding a second power lefty reliever in Scott to match up against Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman is the perfect move."

Scott was acquired at the trade deadline from the Miami Marlins. He posted a 2.73 ERA in 28 appearances for the Padres and immediately boosted the depth of their bullpen.

Since 2023, Scott has posted a 2.04 ERA with 188 strikeouts in 150 innings (11.28 K/9). In 2023, he recorded a solid 2.31 ERA across 74 appearances for Miami, and in 2024, he improved even further. As the full-time closer, he finished with a 9-6 record, a 1.75 ERA, and 22 saves.

Scott's confidence has been at a high the past two seasons and he credited his former pitching coach in Miami, Mel Stottlemyre Jr., who allowed him to just "go out and attack."

“Before you know it, he was in and out of at-bats, throwing strikes, getting his strikeouts," said Stottlemyre in spring 2024. “It was like a domino effect. It just started falling into play. It was an absolutely beautiful thing. If you asked me to draw that out for the next guy and think that he’s going to follow that path, I wish I had that magical formula in here. I’d hand it to everyone.”

While he was part of the club that lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, Scott was far from a problem as he recorded eight strikeouts across 5.1 innings and did not allow a run.