Tanner Scott, the top free agent reliever this offseason, has officially signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which was finalized on Thursday. The deal will keep Scott with the team through the 2028 season and includes a substantial $20 million signing bonus along with $21 million in deferred payments. Scott’s contract also features a club option for 2029, valued at $5 million (plus incentives), which would come into play if he suffers a “qualifying injury” and is not traded. Should he be traded, he would receive a $3 million assignment bonus. As part of the deferred payments, $5.25 million of Scott’s annual salary will be postponed each year.
Scott has spent the last three seasons as a closer for the Miami Marlins and the San Diego Padres, but while he will get opportunities to close games with the Dodgers, he won’t be their primary closer. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman praised Scott for his team-first mentality and his ability to fill various roles in the bullpen, which will be crucial for a team with multiple experienced relievers. Scott brings impressive credentials, including 54 saves over the past three seasons, but the Dodgers already have several players with closing experience, such as Blake Treinen, potentially Kirby Yates, Evan Phillips (who was the closer for the Dodgers last season), and others like Michael Kopech, Alex Vesia, Anthony Banda, and Edgardo Henriquez, who all recorded saves in 2024.
In other Dodgers news, the team has strengthened its international presence by partnering with ITO EN Ltd., a leading producer of unsweetened tea, known for its Oi Ocha brand. This new partnership, which begins in the 2025 season, adds to the Dodgers’ growing list of collaborations with Japanese companies, a list that includes notable names such as All Nippon Airways, Yakult, Kinoshita Group, and others. The deal with ITO EN will allow the company to utilize Dodger branding for marketing and promotional efforts and provide hospitality opportunities in Los Angeles. This partnership is especially significant as Ohtani, the Dodgers’ star acquisition ahead of the 2024 season, is known to be a fan of Oi Ocha.