Miami Marlins pitcher just forced the team to pay him more

As we wait to see if The Fish sign a certain player, Miami Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez has set a nice precedent for closer Tanner Scott to follow. Scott has also won his arbitration hearing against the team. Will the increased salary prove to be a further obstacle to a contract extension? It's time to take a look...

Miami Marlins closer Tanner Scott won an arbitration hearing against the team.

Tanner Scott is in his final season with the Miami Marlins...most likely that is. The shut-down reliever hits free agency after the season, potentially cashing in on the process and likely being out of the team's price range. Scott pitched for the Baltimore Orioles from 2017 to 2021. During that time, he produced a 4.73 ERA/4.00 FIP, with 12.0 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 in 170 games and 156.0 innings pitched.

When Tanner Scott was traded from Baltimore to Miami, he looked like a "work in progress". He had a tantalizing strikeout rate, but bad control and neither his ERA or its underlying metrics gave much optimism for the future. I don't expect many people to have predicted the outcome of the trade for The Fish.

2022 saw Scott produce an unimpressive 4.31 ERA, with an improved 3.67 FIP. He had his usual solid 12.9 K/9 paired with an abysmal 6.6 BB/9. He did this in 67 games and 62.2 innings pitched. At this point, it seemed as if he'd never get his control fixed and would probably never be much better. That all changed in 2023...

Tanner Scott finally broke out last season, producing a 2.31 ERA/2.17 FIP, with 12.0 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9, in 74 games and 78.0 innings pitched. He had 12 saves as well. It was such a dominant performance, that a strong case could've been made that he was the best closer in the Major Leagues. Sounds too unrealistic? He had the highest WAR among closers at 3.6.

All it takes is another strong season for Scott to command a salary among the other elite relievers in free agency. The Miami Marlins wanted to pay him $5.15 million in 2024, but will now pay him $5.7 million instead. That's a bargain, but his salary in free agency could be three times that. I expect Scott to be moved at the trade deadline if The Fish are out of contention, or gone as a free agent after the season.