We hope the Tanner Scott trade rumor comes true
Miami Marlins closer Tanner Scott is going to be traded (subscription required) by the time the July 30 trade deadline passes, as confirmed by the Miami Herald's Craig Mish. The basement dwellers of the NL East have made no bones about being sellers this season, and Scott is a perfect candidate to move.
On an expiring contract, the left-hander is a confirmed Phillies' trade deadline target. A couple of questions remain, however. First, will the Marlins sell to a division rival? Second, will the price be fair enough for Dombrowski and Fuld to bite?
We hope the answer to both questions is a resounding "Yes!"
In 39 appearances, Miami's lone All-Star representative has posted a 1.34 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. While those numbers look good just as they are, they include an outrageously bad first month. Since May 7, Scott has a 0.66 ERA and 0.77 WHIP, with a 2.43 FIP and a 33 percent strikeout rate.
In his first 14 games of the season, the 29-year-old walked 22.2 percent of the batters he faced while striking out just 19 percent. Since then? His walk rate is down to a much more reasonable 11 percent, just above the league average of 9.2 percent.
Scott is one of the top relief trade pieces on the trade deadline market this season, and with the Marlins desperate to rebuild, we have our fingers crossed that the Phillies can add him to the late-inning bullpen mix.