Howard College Professional Athletes

When the Los Angeles Dodgers need their bullpen to hold the line in October, Tanner Scott — a product of Howard College in Big Spring, TX — is getting the ball.

The left-hander has appeared in multiple games during the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers this week, logging crucial innings in a series where every out carries playoff weight. Over three outings between October 12 and October 16, Scott pitched a total of 3.0 innings and struck out six batters, underscoring why the Dodgers have leaned on him in high-leverage spots.

The Good and the Tough

Scott's October 12 showing was his sharpest of the stretch. He struck out three batters across one inning of work in Game 1 of the doubleheader slate, posting an ERA of 3.86 in that outing. He followed that with another scoreless frame the same day — one strikeout, ERA sitting at 4.91 — demonstrating the kind of durable, multi-appearance value that elite bullpens depend on in a short series.

Friday's outing, however, was a harder night. Scott worked one inning against Milwaukee in Game 4, striking out two but surrendering an earned run — a solo home run off the bat of Garrett Mitchell that capped the Brewers' fifth unanswered run and extended their lead. It was a tough spot for the Howard College alum, but the fact that the Dodgers continue to deploy Scott in meaningful moments speaks to the confidence the organization has placed in him.

The Howard College Thread

Scott isn't just a name on a roster — he's the kind of arm that junior college programs point to as proof that the pipeline works. Howard College, a two-year school in West Texas, has quietly produced a handful of active big leaguers, including Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Connor Sadzeck. But Scott is the one under the brightest lights right now, navigating the pressure of an NLCS with the defending-champion Dodgers counting on him.

The Bigger Picture

The Dodgers' bullpen situation has been a storyline throughout this postseason, and Scott's workload reflects how stretched even the sport's deepest rosters can become in October. With Los Angeles facing a resilient Brewers squad, Scott's ability to eat innings and miss bats will remain essential. His playoff ERA sits at 4.76 after Friday's rough patch, but the strikeout rate — six punchouts in three innings — suggests the stuff is still there.

For Howard College fans tracking their alum through the postseason, the next few days could determine how far Scott's October run goes. The Dodgers still have a series to win — and Scott figures to be part of the answer.

The postseason spotlight hasn't been kind to Howard College alumnus Tanner Scott — and Los Angeles is starting to feel the heat.

Scott, the Dodgers' left-handed reliever, turned in back-to-back turbulent outings during the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, setting off a city-wide debate over who should actually be closing games for Los Angeles when October baseball is on the line.

The Numbers That Started the Conversation

In Game 1 on Tuesday, Oct. 6, Scott was handed the ball in a high-leverage situation and surrendered a home run in the ninth inning, finishing the night with a 10.80 ERA across one inning of work — he did punch out two batters, but the damage was done. He returned in Game 2 on Wednesday, Oct. 7, and while Los Angeles picked up the 4-1 win, Scott's ERA had only improved to 6.75 through two appearances. Another inning, another two strikeouts, another conversation about whether he's the right man for the job.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed Scott's role directly after the rough Game 1 outing, sending what Sports Illustrated described as a "clear message" — though Los Angeles's pitching calculus in October has rarely been simple.

A Roster-Wide Debate

Scott's struggles have amplified a broader question that national writers were already asking: why haven't the Dodgers fully committed to Edwin Díaz as their ninth-inning anchor?

Both the LA Times and Yahoo Sports columnist Bill Shaikin argued this week that Los Angeles is overthinking its bullpen structure. Using Scott or Roki Sasaki in save situations is defensible, the argument goes, but the Dodgers own one of the most dominant closers in baseball and have hesitated to deploy him with consistency. The critiques aren't an indictment of Scott alone — but his outings handed critics a concrete example to hang the argument on.

The conversation took another turn when Yahoo Sports reported that Tarik Skubal — acquired at the trade deadline — expressed openness to pitching out of the bullpen in the postseason. One implication of the report was direct: Scott's inconsistency may have actively accelerated those discussions and forced the Dodgers' hand on how to configure their late-inning options.

Still Standing

To be fair to the Howard College product, Scott isn't the reason the Dodgers are down in this series — Los Angeles won both games in which he appeared. And two strikeouts per outing suggests his stuff remains sharp even when results don't follow. The question is whether the Dodgers' front office and coaching staff trust Scott in the highest-leverage moments when the margin for error shrinks to nothing.

For a player who signed what was expected to be a high-profile role entering this postseason, the October stage has complicated Scott's narrative quickly. How the Dodgers manage their bullpen from here — and how Scott responds — will be one of the more closely watched subplots as the NLDS continues.

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