Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the New York Yankees are among teams interested in star closer Tanner Scott, who the Miami Marlins are certain to trade. Expected to yield a ton of prospects and make a lot of money in the offseason, Scott has a 1.18 ERA across 44 appearances as a lockdown reliever all season and could bolster the top of any playoff bullpen. With the struggles Clay Holmes has had in the closer role as of late, the Yankees desperately need someone to be a surefire weapon for them in the ninth inning.
He’s the high-strikeout arm the Yankees want, but they’ll have to fend off some top contenders to secure his services at the deadline.
Tanner Scott Is Drawing Interest From the Yankees and Others
It’s hard to argue that Tanner Scott isn’t one of the best relievers in the game, especially with the year he’s having right now. While the ERA could seem like a mirage to some due to his worse expected numbers, he’s only gotten better as the season has gone on thanks to improving command. His stuff is absolutely wicked, with a high-90s fastball and excellent slider that both overpowers hitters and can generate soft contact.
Scott has a 49% groundball rate to go with a 29.1% strikeout rate, and his walk rate is steadily declining as the season has gone on. He walked 12 batters in his first 14 games but has walked just 13 batters in his following 30 games, with an incredible 0.55 ERA over that stretch. What the Yankees lack in their bullpen is exactly what Tanner Scott would provide, as they need strikeouts, lefties, and someone who can close out games for them.
That being said, the competition for his services will be steep, with teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers competing to acquire him as well. To be completely honest, there isn’t going to be a contender who doesn’t show some sort of interest in acquiring the dominant left-hander, and that will drive the price up dramatically. If the Yankees find a way to win the bidding war, they’ll win half a season of a ridiculously talented arm who could alter the bullpen dramatically.