LOS ANGELES — Tanner Scott was unavailable to pitch in Game 3 because he was not at Dodger Stadium during the game, and now we know why. The left-hander was ruled out for the rest of the National League
Division Series with an injury, Major League Baseball announced on Thursday, and was replaced on the NLDS roster by left-hander Justin Wrobleski.
The details of Scott’s injury are vague.
“As I understand it, it was an abscess excision, some kind of lower-body minor procedure, manager Dave Roberts said Thursday. ”I do know he’s recovering well.“
Because Scott was unavailable to pitch in Game 3 on Wednesday, an ineffective Clayton Kershaw pitched a second inning of relief in a game the Dodgers were trailing, turning a close deficit into a rout. After the game, Roberts said only that Scott was not at the stadium due to a personal matter.
The procedure for Scott was Wednesday night, and Roberts said he first learned of it late Tuesday night after the off-day workout at Dodger Stadium.
“I don’t think that we knew exactly the extent of it,” Roberts said as to why Scott wasn’t replaced on the roster before Game 3. “To kind of make that preemptive decision, we were a little bit more in flux.”
By rule, any player replaced by an injury in the middle of a postseason series is ineligible for the next postseason series. So if the Dodgers advance to the NLCS, Scott won’t pitch.
“I still feel that in the World Series, if we’re fortunate enough to earn our way there, he’ll be available,” Roberts said.
Scott had fallen down the bullpen depth chart after struggling in the first season of his four-year, $72 million contract with the Dodgers. The left-hander had a 4.74 ERA and 4.24 xERA in 61 games, with his 11 home runs allowed nearly double his total (six) over the previous two seasons. Scott also led the majors with 10 blown saves.
He was active in both postseason rounds to date but did not pitch in any of the Dodgers’ first five games.
Wrobleski was active during the wild card series, but did not pitch against the Reds.
