Cubs lost out on Tanner Scott for worst possible reason

Left-handed relief pitcher Tanner Scott hit the free agent market this offseason after coming off an impressive campaign split between the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres. Scott appeared in 72 games in 2024 and posted an unbelievable 1.75 ERA. As you can imagine, he quickly became the most sought-after reliever available.

Teams like the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs were listed as potential suitors for Scott. It was ultimately the Los Angeles Dodgers that landed Scott, causing feelings of disgust throughout the league.

The Braves chose to continue their master plan of not spending money this winter while the Red Sox were just simply outbid by the Dodgers. However, the reasoning behind why the Cubs lost out on the Tanner Scott sweepstakes just doesn't make sense.

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Cubs unwilling to give Scott four years

We know that Tanner Scott had several offers on the table to consider. Of course, the ATM of unlimited cash that is the Los Angeles Dodgers made an offer that Scott could not resist. However, the biggest reason the Cubs could not acquire Scott had nothing to do with dollar signs but rather the length of the contract.

Scott's deal with the Dodgers is for four seasons and according to Pat Ragazzo of Mets and Yankees on SI, the Cubs were unwilling to commit to Scott for this long.

Scott is just 29 years of age and just had the best season of his career. With the Cubs being middle of the pack (12th) in payroll in 2025, it was never about the money. The question then remains if the Cubs could afford Scott's price tag, why were they so unwilling to commit to a four-year deal for an All-Star reliever?