This is a nightmare scenario for the Los Angeles Dodgers as reliever Tanner Scott blew a save opportunity in the bottom of the ninth at Chase Field in Phoenix on Tuesday night. The Arizona Diamondbacks, fighting to be a part of the National League postseason fun, scored the game-winning run with two outs to beat Los Angeles 5-4.
Scott has just been less than reliable for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who probably is getting grilled online for his bullpen selections. The Dodgers are going to enter NL postseason play without a reliable bullpen.
That's a tough pill to swallow for those Dodgers fans that flood into Dodger Stadium and root for their team. Yet they, too, have seen this play out over and over again throughout the 2025 MLB season.
This loss hurts a bit more after Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani threw six shutout innings against the Diamondbacks. Ohtani had them off stride in the batter's box. The six-inning effort happened to be Ohtani's longest start as a pitcher since Aug. 9, 2023, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
Ohtani struck out eight Arizona hitters, didn't walk one, and allowed just five hits. He was masterful on the mound. Roberts probably was looking for an Ohtani clone he could use in the bullpen.
Ah yes, the LA bullpen.
How did Arizona get back into the game? Hello, Dodgers bullpen. Rookie pitchers Jack Dreyer and Edgardo Henriquez gave up three runs in the home half of the seventh inning. Geraldo Perdomo hit a game-winning single off Scott to give the Diamondbacks a come-from-behind victory.
Baseball journalist Howard Cole posted this message on X after watching the Dodgers bullpen implode once again. Cole keeps up with the Dodgers religiously, so if you are wondering about trusting his opinion, then you can trust it.
Look for Ohtani to make his next start in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series. He probably will not get another turn in the rotation as Roberts has five pitchers in line to start with just five games left in the regular season.
The Diamondbacks are tied with the Cincinnati Reds right now, one game out of an NL Wild Card spot. These teams are looking to reach the postseason as their regular seasons wind down, too. So Arizona has a lot of reason to be out there hustling and playing hard.
In the NL West Division, the Dodgers and San Diego Padres have secured postseason spots.
In other news briefly, Roki Sasaki is due back on Wednesday. As reported by Dodgers reporter Sonja Chen of MLB.com, Sasaki is expected to be taken off the 60-day injured list ahead of the third game of this three-game series on Wednesday night against the Diamondbacks.