LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers’ already prevalent need for bullpen help only increased on Monday night, as the team’s prized free-agent closer addition, Tanner Scott, grimaced after releasing a slider into the dirt and exited alongside head athletic trainer Thomas Albert.
Scott, 30, had come back out for the ninth inning after completing the eighth as the sliding Dodgers sought to snap their skid with a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. He proceeded to walk a batter and hit another with two strikes before working to Jeffers. It wasn’t immediately clear what the injury was.
The left-hander, who is in the first year of a four-year, $72 million deal as the most expensive free-agent reliever signed last offseason, has already struggled plenty in his first season in Los Angeles, with a 4.14 ERA in his first 47 appearances to go with seven blown saves in 26 tries. Kirby Yates, another free-agent addition this winter who has struggled, entered for Scott and recorded the final two outs, with Carlos Correa driving what could have been the game-tying home run to the wall before James Outman camped under it in center field.
Given Scott and Yates’ performance thus far this season along with injuries to Evan Phillips (out for the season), Michael Kopech (out until at least late August), Brusdar Graterol (out until at least September) and Blake Treinen (who could return within about a week), the Dodgers were already exploring high-end relief options, as The Athletic reported this week. Expect that to only intensify with Scott exiting Monday night.
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