New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies reportedly competing for top closer

New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Tanner Scott

The New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the best teams in baseball this season. After competing against one another for months, the four front offices will reportedly now be competing for at least one mutual trade target.

While a few of the Yankees trade targets and Orioles trade targets are different, much like Los Angeles and Philadephia, there is an emphasis on pitching. The 2024 season has taken a toll on pitching staffs across the league, with all four aforementioned clubs having suffered significant losses.

Complicating matters for the contenders are the unusual MLB standings. heading into MLB games today, multiple teams with sub-.500 records are within a few games of a spot in the Wild Card Series. As a result, fewer clubs are committed to selling. Of the teams committed to trading away players in July, there’s one Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore all want.

According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers and Orioles are believed to be among the teams interested in Miami Marlins closer Tanner Scott.

The number of teams interested in Scott bodes well for Miami’s eventual return in a trade. However, the 29-year-old southpaw is a half-season rental which significantly lowers his trade value. Furthermore, Scott has a 15.9 percent walk rate this season, allowing 5.91 walks per 9 innings.

While consistent command is an issue, the Yankees and Dodgers are known to be in the market for delivers with swing-and-miss stuff. As for Philadelphia and Baltimore, Scott would provide either club with a reliable left-handed arm to work in the late innings. Considering the Marlins already traded Luis Arraez, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Scott is dealt well before the MLB trade deadline.

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