Was Tanner Scott the single worst signing of the offseason?

The Los Angeles Dodgers targeted Tanner Scott in MLB free agency with the idea that he would solidify the back end of their bullpen for years to come. Instead of locking games down in the ninth, the southpaw reliever has quickly become one of the team's worst contracts.

In fact, Scott has been so bad this season that it's easy to call him the worst free agent signing of the 2025 campaign. He's appeared in 51 games for the Dodgers but has pitched to a mediocre 4.56 ERA. That adds up to a WAR of -0.3 in 49.1 innings pitched, the worst WAR of the 31-year-old's career.

Those numbers are bad for any relief pitcher plying his trade for a team with legitimate World Series aspirations. They're even worse considering what it cost the Dodgers to secure Scott's services. This is the first year of a four-year, $72 million deal he signed in free agency. Los Angeles has more spending power than any other team in MLB, but this deal is still big enough to limit some of their future transactions for years to come.

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Tanner Scott deal looks like last winter's worst transaction

A deeper look at Scott's numbers in save situations makes the deal look even worse. He's already blown eight saves on the season and given up 10 home runs; both marks equal career highs for the hard-throwing lefty. The number of high-profile blowups he's already had with the Dodgers have robbed Scott and fans in Los Angeles of confidence in his ability to help them win games in the postseason.

Which begs the question: Has any deal from last winter aged worse than this one? On first glance, it's hard to argue with the claim. Sure, other free agents have performed even worse — the Dodgers even have one of them on their team in outfielder Michael Conforto — but the combination of miserable production and resources allocated make Scott's contract stand out. Willy Adames' deal with the San Francisco Giants seemed like it might be underwater in June, but he's turned it on of late and is starting to look like his usual self. The only other candidate might be Anthony Santander, who got off to an awful start with the Toronto Blue Jays before getting hurt. But still: The fact that Scott is either 1A or 1B on this list is not a great sign.

Any hope for Scott to bounce back and pitch better down the stretch has to be rooted in the fact that he's still striking out over one batter per inning. He still has swing-and-miss stuff when he's locked in and has his best fastball and slider. It's a matter of finding that kind of groove more often if Scott is going to regain the form that made him such a coveted free agent target.

In the end, the Dodgers and Scott are stuck with one another for the next several seasons. He should continue to get opportunities to pitch in high-leverage situations for Los Angeles down the stretch. If he continues this decline he could become one of the worst contracts in MLB by the time next season begins. Dodgers officials and fans are hoping he turns things around before the postseason arrives.