As the Los Angeles Dodgers wanted to tweak some things before starting out on a run toward a third straight World Series championship, there was a weak spot.

The Dodgers' bullpen wasn't too good throughout last season. Yes, it was stellar in the postseason thanks to the work of Roki Sasaki. Sasaki was put in the closer's role after coming back from injury by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

Still, who was going to be the setup man this season for the Dodgers? Tanner Scott and Blake Treinen were pretty much Roberts' go-to guys out of the bullpen last season.

Both of them struggled to effectively close games. With Edwin Díaz firmly in the closer's role, it will be battle between Scott and Treinen for that seventh- or eighth-inning spot to work in during games this season.

While Treinen will get a look, it's probably going to be Scott as the setup guy. Last season, Scott was 1-4 with a 4.74 ERA with 23 saves in the 2025 regular season. He had 60 strikeouts in 57 innings of work.

Scott originally was a sixth-round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles in the 2014 MLB amateur draft. He played college ball at Howard Junior College in Texas. Scott played his first five MLB seasons with the Orioles, then spent two-plus seasons with the Miami Marlins before joining the Dodgers.

According to Baseball Savant, Scott primarily leans on three different pitches: A four-seam fastball, a slider, and a changeup. Last season, Scott primarily just stuck with his four-seamer and slider. He literally just threw one changeup last season, so don't look for Scott to pull that one out of the hat much in 2026.

Still, Scott has to go out and prove that he's worthy of that setup role. It's possible that Treinen makes a case that he should be the setup guy before Díaz runs in from the Dodgers' bullpen.

The Dodgers need to have a real solid map formed for the relief corps. Roberts doesn't want to have another season where his stomach might get queasy when looking down to the bullpen.

Let's see if Scott can really make a statement during Spring Training in Cactus League play. There's still time for Treinen to step in and make his mark.

But the safe bet is that Scott would get that back-end work before getting to the closer. It is Scott's job to win or lose right now. 

Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!

It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!