Tanner Scott’s first Dodgers postseason outing came with a little smoke in the ninth inning, but it did not change the club’s view of its late-inning map. Los Angeles held on for a 5-3 Game 1 victory over the Braves in the National League Division Series on Saturday after Scott allowed a two-run homer and Evan Phillips collected the final out.
A four-run lead gets tighter
Scott entered the ninth with the Dodgers ahead by four, working a stretch of Atlanta hitters that included left-handed bats and fit the matchup Los Angeles wanted. The inning turned quickly.
- Ronald Acuña Jr. opened the frame with a full-count single.
- Ozzie Albies jumped on Scott’s first-pitch four-seam fastball and drove it an estimated 432 feet to center field for a two-run homer.
- Scott recovered to get Matt Olson and Michael Harris II on ground balls.
- With the lead trimmed to two runs, manager Dave Roberts called on Phillips, who finished the 5-3 decision.
Roberts did not see the appearance as a reason to move away from Scott in high-leverage spots. He believed Acuña put together a strong at-bat after Scott nearly had him, then Albies capitalized immediately on a fastball. Roberts said Scott’s pitches still had the quality the Dodgers expected.
The manager’s decision was less about assigning a fixed closer than about finding the right pocket of hitters. With the size of the lead and left-handed hitters due up, Scott was the preferred choice. Roberts said he would have used Scott in that same lane even if it had arrived an inning earlier.
No permanent ninth-inning assignment
The Dodgers entered October with one late question on an otherwise deep roster: who gets the ball to end games? Roberts has indicated that Scott is an easy name to picture finishing victories, but he has not committed to one closer regardless of inning, score or lineup.
- Scott remains a primary option for the ninth inning.
- Phillips can close games as well.
- Roki Sasaki and Edwin Díaz are also in the mix for late outs.
- Roberts chose Phillips over Sasaki on Saturday because the change came in the middle of the inning.
Scott’s own approach is simple. He said the relievers are prepared whenever the phone rings and that anyone in the bullpen can be used anywhere. Before appearances, the group discusses the opposing hitters and identifies the best fit. In this case, Scott said he should have retired the first batter, then gave up the homer before getting the next two outs. He called Phillips’ finish a big one.
Scott back in the October picture
This postseason means more to Scott after he missed the Dodgers’ 2025 playoff run entirely. He was removed from the NLDS roster after Game 3 as a lower-body abscess became more serious, and he neither pitched nor warmed up in the bullpen during Los Angeles’ championship push.
Scott had joined the Dodgers before the 2025 season on a four-year, $72 million deal. He returned this year with a 2.69 ERA and 25 saves in a bounceback regular season, while Díaz dealt with elbow and neck injuries that cost him significant time.
Before Saturday, Scott had thrown 5 1/3 scoreless postseason innings across his previous October work with Miami in 2023 and San Diego in 2024. His 2024 NLDS against the Dodgers included three innings, two hits allowed and five strikeouts.
Now healthy, Scott said it is significant simply to be involved after injury kept him from contributing last time. The Dodgers are chasing a third straight title, and one rocky ninth inning has not pushed him out of that pursuit.
Atlanta finds a small opening
The Braves left Game 1 with a loss, but their late push offered some encouragement. Reliever Brent Suter said making the Dodgers turn to another leverage arm could matter as the series moves ahead, both because it adds to Los Angeles’ bullpen usage and because it reinforces Atlanta’s belief that it will keep fighting.
Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, or 5 p.m. PT, with FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One carrying the broadcast.
