Dodgers announce NLDS roster change after unexpected Tanner Scott injury update

Through Game 3 of the NLDS, the Dodgers have used every reliever that they carried on the roster — except Tanner Scott.

There was nothing necessarily fishy about that, or about the Dodgers declining to use him throughout the Wild Card, given Scott's struggles in the regular season. He ended the year with a 4.74 ERA, but really stumbled in September to the tune of a 6.48 ERA, two blown saves, and a loss.

However, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported late on Wednesday that Scott hadn't been at the ballpark for "personal reasons," per Dave Roberts. A few hours before Game 4's first pitch, Roberts (via Ardaya) followed up to report that Scott had an unexpected "lower body abscess procedure" and would not return to the team until a potential World Series (he's disallowed from the NLCS roster per MLB regulations).

MLB Communications confirmed that the Dodgers' request for a roster replacement had been approved. Justin Wrobleski will be available out of the bullpen through the rest of the series.

Scott would've made more sense as a ninth-inning option for the Dodgers on Wednesday night — as opposed to Blake Treinen who ended up getting the ball — with the Dodgers already down 8-2 and nothing for him to jeopardize, but this explains the absence.

Ousted Dodgers closer Tanner Scott out until potential World Series after a 'lower body abscess procedure'

Roberts had already said that Roki Sasaki has become the Dodgers' primary option to close games, but that was understandable given Sasaki's recent performances vs. Scott's. It's absurd that a reliever the Dodgers gave $72 million in the offseason was being intentionally ignored, even during two blowout Wild Card games against the Reds. But it was almost necessary.

Scott looked almost unforgivably bad from July onward, and the Dodgers just can't watch Roberts misguidedly turn to Scott (he said amid his struggles that his faith in Scott was "unwavering"), only for him to blow a game.

To be fair, Wrobleski isn't exactly a totally reassuring option; he has yet to pitch a postseason inning and posted a 5.59 ERA in his last seven appearances of the regular season. But it's better now that the Dodgers know their fate.