Reports: Dodgers agree with reliever Scott on a 4-year deal

In a combined 72 appearances for the Marlins and Padres last season, Tanner Scott was 9-6 with a 1.75 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 84 innings. He has 54 saves over the past three years. Megan Briggs / Getty Images

Jeff Torborg, who died Sunday, was a former catcher for the Dodgers and Angels, and a major league manager for five teams over 11 seasons. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE – 2001

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Staff and wire reports

The Dodgers aren’t content to build the best starting rotation in baseball this winter. They’re trying to do the same with their bullpen.

According to multiple reports, the Dodgers have reached agreement on a four-year, $72 million contract with free agent left-hander Tanner Scott, the best reliever available on this year’s free-agent market. As has become usual in the Dodgers’ recent deals, the contract includes a big signing bonus ($21 million) and deferred salary ($20 million), lowering the immediate payroll hit for the Dodgers while giving the player tax advantages.

The 30-year-old Scott joins a bullpen group that already includes Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips and Alex Vesia.

Over the past two seasons, Scott has been one of the most dominant relievers in the majors, compiling a 2.04 ERA and 34 saves. He was traded from the Miami Marlins to the San Diego Padres in midseason 2024 and the eight-year veteran held opponents to a combined .179 average with a .528 OPS.

During the NL Division Series between the Dodgers and Padres last October, Scott faced Shohei Ohtani four times and struck him out all four.

The agreement between the Dodgers and Scott has not been officially confirmed by the team.

— Bill Plunkett

Torborg PASSES AWAy

Jeff Torborg, the former catcher who caught Sandy Koufax’s perfect game and was the 1990 AL manager of the year with the Chicago White Sox, died Sunday. He was 83.

The White Sox said on social media that Torborg, who caught seven seasons for the Dodgers and three for the Angels over his 10-year MLB career, died in his hometown of Westfield, New Jersey. A cause of death wasn’t given.

“I am heartbroken,” former White Sox player and manager Ozzie Guillen posted on X. “My mentor and my friend has passed away. Someone who truly understood me and gave me a chance to lead, to be a captain. So much of my way of managing and being in a clubhouse came from him.”

Torborg was behind the plate for three no-hitters, the first with Koufax and the Dodgers for the perfect game against the Chicago Cubs in 1965. Torborg had the second in 1970 with Bill Singer for the Dodgers against Philadelphia, then in 1973 with the Angels caught the first of Nolan Ryan’s record seven no-hitters in a game against Kansas City.

Torborg was signed by the Dodgers in 1963 out of Rutgers University, where he was an All-American.

He played in 358 games for the Dodgers, including 56 games for the 1965 world champions. He went on to play 216 games with the Angels from 1971-73.

Torborg hit .214 with eight homers and 101 RBIs over his 10 big league seasons.

He began his managing career with Cleveland (1977-79), was with the White Sox from 1989-91 and also had stints with the New York Mets (1992-93), Montreal (2000) and Florida (2002-03). In 1990, he led the White Sox to 94 victories.

Torborg also spent time as a broadcaster.