An hour before the June 30th 6 p.m. ET trade deadline, the San Diego Padres acquired All-Star reliever Tanner Scott from the Miami Marlins. Scott was considered the most sought-after bullpen asset at the deadline.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Diamondbacks were one of many teams that were also interested in grabbing Scott before the deadline.
BREAKING: The San Diego Padres are finalizing a deal to acquire closer Tanner Scott from the Miami Marlins, sources tell ESPN. Still pending medical review.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 30, 2024
Despite the Marlins’ struggles this season, Scott has been dominant in the bullpen. The 30-year-old, attending his first career All-Star game, has posted a 1.18 ERA and is currently on a 17.2 consecutive scoreless inning streak that began on June 17th. In 44 appearances this season, Scott has allowed runs just three times.
Earlier in the day, the Diamondbacks also made a move, acquiring first baseman Josh Bell from the Marlins, who have been active sellers at the deadline. With Christian Walker heading to the injured list, Arizona added Bell to bolster their first baseman depth.
Before the season began, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo commented on the influx of star players into the NL West, especially after the Padres acquired former Cy Young candidate Dylan Cease. In a somewhat joking manner, Lovullo said, “I wish the best players would quit coming to the NL West.”
Other notable players who joined the NL West before the season include Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Matt Chapman, and Jorge Soler.
The Diamondbacks and Padres are currently neck and neck in the National League Wild Card race. With both teams 7-3 over their last 10 games, the Padres hold a slim .5 game lead over Arizona for the 3rd and final Wild Card spot. The Diamondbacks are 5-5 against the Padres this season, which means it will come down to the team’s final series against each other to determine who gets the advantage. It is only fitting that this meeting comes as the final series of the season, setting up a scenario where the winner of the series could be the team that advances to the postseason.
