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The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired the best available starting pitcher when they acquired Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline. And they were one of the teams “in at the end” for the top reliever, the Miami Marlins‘ Tanner Scott, according to one report. Scott was traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for four top-30 prospects.
“Dodgers were another team in at the end for Tanner Scott. That may have triggered the Padres to do more,” wrote the New York Post’s Jon Heyman.
For Flaherty, the Dodgers sent catcher/first baseman Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney, the Dodgers’ No. 8 and No. 22 prospects, respectively, to the Detroit Tigers. The Padres gave up their No. 2, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 24 prospects to acquire Scott.
Perhaps the Dodgers were not willing to give up so much for a player who will be a free agent after the season ends.
The Dodgers Missed Out on Tanner Scott
Scott had interest from many contenders at the deadline. The Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies also had interest in the All-Star according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.
The Padres gave up a haul to acquire Scott, and Heyman noted that the Dodgers’ interest may have led to that.
Left-handed pitcher Robby Snelling, right-handed pitcher Adam Mazur, infielder/outfielder Graham Pauley and infielder Jay Beshears are a group of prospects that could define the future of the Marlins.
While the Dodgers could not bring in Scott, they did make several moves ahead of the deadline, including bringing in reliever Michael Kopech, center fielder Kevin Kiermaier and utilityman Tommy Edman.
Scott Could Have Bolstered the Dodgers’ Bullpen
Scott signed a one-year, $5.7 million deal with the Marlins after winning his arbitration case in the offseason. The 29-year-old will be a free agent after the season.
Scott has a 1.18 ERA in 44 games this season spanning 45 2/3 innings. He has a 10.4 strikeouts per nine this season. However, Scott does struggle with walking hitters, issuing 5.3 walks per nine innings. He is in the first percentile for walks.
Kopech, whom the Dodgers acquired from the Chicago White Sox as part of the three-team deal, will provide the team with a bullpen boost. Like Scott, Kopech strikes out hitters at a high rate of 12.16 per nine innings. That would be first on the Dodgers this season for all pitchers.
“The 28-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile in fastball velocity and in the 89th percentile in expected batting average against,” wrote MLB.com’s Juan Toribio. “His whiff percentage is also in the 86th percentile, all areas the Dodgers look for in a pitcher.”
He’s also better than Scott in terms of walks. He is in the seventh percentile for walks.
Kopech made 27 starts for the White Sox in 2023 but has only appeared out of the bullpen in 2024. His 4.74 ERA is slightly alarming, but a change of scenery in Los Angeles could help that.
The talented right-hander’s numbers may just be a result of the White Sox’s struggles as a whole. Maybe being part of a winning organization will give him the boost he needs.
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