LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers could already have used some bullpen help, but the need might be greater moving forward.
Lefty reliever Tanner Scott is likely bound for the injured list after exiting Monday's 5-2 win over the Twins with a "sting sensation" in his forearm in the ninth inning, manager Dave Roberts said. Scott is set to get an MRI on Tuesday.
Scott pitched two-thirds of an inning, walking one batter and hitting another before his eventual exit. He threw a 2-2 slider in the dirt to Ryan Jeffers and grimaced, prompting Roberts and a trainer to check on him. He flexed his throwing arm as he exited with the trainer.
Roberts described Scott as "emotionally, not well" afterward. He said Scott felt discomfort on one pitch, rather than throughout his outing.
"I’m not sure what pitch it was, but he said he felt like a sting," Roberts said. "I think it was probably the pitch before I went out there. … There was an X-ray, there was manual testing, and both those were positive. So that’s a good thing."
Kirby Yates took over and walked Jeffers -- which went on Scott's final line -- and nearly surrendered the game-tying runs before center fielder James Outman ended the game by snagging a would-be three-run homer off the bat of Carlos Correa.
Scott has been the Dodgers' de facto closer since joining the team on a four-year, $72 million deal this past offseason. While he's had some dominant flashes, he hasn't been a consistent lockdown arm in the ninth inning, posting a 4.14 ERA with 19 saves across 47 appearances.
The Dodgers have four high-leverage relievers on the injured list: Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips. Treinen should be back by the end of the month, but Kopech is not eligible to return from the 60-day IL until late August. Graterol could return sometime in September, and Phillips is out for the season due to Tommy John surgery.
Given the injury situation, and the inconsistency they've seen from Scott and Yates, the Dodgers were already expected to pursue bullpen help ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline. Now they could need a legitimate back-end arm, depending on the severity of Scott's injury.
"I’m trying not to go down a spiraling thing with where it could be," Roberts said. "Physical, strong, the manual tests were good. So hopefully it’s something that’s more of a scare and then we can kind of put him on ice for a little bit and get him back."