Dodgers Star’s Emotional “Baseball Hates Me” Remark Falls Flat as $72M Contract Looks Worse Amid LA’s Fading Hopes

Los Angeles Dodgers fans will all agree—something seems off right now in blue-town. Sure, the team showed plenty of zeal and life in August after a rather miserable July, but the cracks are increasing. And Friday night in Baltimore felt like another chapter in a story that no one in LA wants to keep reading. And given that they are the reigning champions, it is strange.

Inside the clubhouse at Camden Yards, the mood was somber, as it can be. Tanner Scott sat frozen at his locker, staring at the void for letting another game slip. Then, Dalton Rushing was rushing out on crutches, and Freddie Freeman was giving everyone a bitter pill.

“We’re just not playing very good. … There’s no sugarcoating this. We need to figure this out, and figure this out quick,” said Freeman. And well, no kidding, because the night had gone sideways right from the first pitch. Tyler Glasnow was removed with back tightness, and that forced Ohtani onto the mound with just five hours’ notice. Still, LA was hanging around the game until the ninth inning unraveled it all.

Tanner Scott, the $74 million closer, who was brought in last winter to lock down games, ended up serving a 433-foot two-out homer to Orioles rookie Samuel Basallo. The reality stared them in the face—Baltimore 2, LA 1, and well, this was a painful loss. Scott couldn’t help but shoulder the blame, saying, “For everyone that threw tonight, that was great; for that to happen just sucks. It sucks. It feels terrible. I have to figure it out. Baseball hates me right now.” But here is the thing—this was not just one bad pitch, right?

This has been Scott’s pattern, and he entered the game with a 4.44 ERA in his last 10 outings. He surrendered 10 runs in 9.1 innings, a huge 9.64 ERA. For a reliever who has one of the biggest contracts in MLB, this is not what is expected of him. Meanwhile, for the Dodgers, this is just bad because they have now been shut out in 25 of their 27 innings, and they lost four straight to the bottom feeders. The Dodgers no longer have the cushion they had earlier in the NL West. So while Scott might be taking the responsibility for the loss, the blue fans are simply not falling for what they feel are ‘crocodile tears.’

Los Angeles Dodgers fans rip $72M Tanner Scott contract

Without sugarcoating, someone said, “He is done in LA. No coming back from this. Fallen way too far.” And well, can you blame them? This is not just a one-off hiccup by Scott. Because in addition to Friday’s loss, he has blown three saves over his last stretch of outings. That brings his season total to nine and ties him for the MLB lead in that. He also spent a month in the IL from July to August, recovering from an elbow injury. But the return has not sparked any benefits; it has only added to more struggles for the team.

One user mentioned, “We hate you right now.” And while it is understandable, right? Because for LA, a roster full of superstars, and yet losing, getting swept, actually by bottom feeders, is embarrassing. Even then, Dave Roberts gave a different perspective on Scott’s struggles. He explained that the issue is not about the mechanics but the location. Scott has been too precise and leaves pitches in the middle of the zone. Sure, his walk rate is the lowest in his career, but his home run rate is the highest. So this makes him both predictable and hittable despite him having elite stuff.

One fan didn’t mince words, saying, “I’d be down to never see him on the mound in a Dodgers jersey again. That seems more favorable than watching millions of dollars get lit on fire.” That sentiment sums up the frustration of the fans in blue. When the Los Angeles Dodgers handed Tanner Scott his massive deal, there was already plenty of talk about the team’s spending habits. Critics were saying LA wants to buy free agents and spoil the game. But Stan Kasten has waved that off, saying that big spending is good for baseball. “This is really good for baseball. I have no question about it.” Well, maybe, though Kasten didn’t see that this investment is aging like spoiled milk.

A fan snapped, saying, “Don’t worry, Scott, WE HATE YOU!!!” He actually is a punching bag for the team now, it seems. But the truth is that blaming him alone ignores the context, right? Shohei Ohtani and five relievers held Baltimore down before Scott’s blown ninth. The real problem is that the lineup is lifeless and depleted, and the offense is not working well either. Will Smith is injured; Max Muncy is also sidelined. But even then, they have Betts, they have Teoscar Hernandes, and yet, this is the result.

“Not as much as Conforto, but close,” one user chimed. And well, it’s hard to argue; even Conforto has been in a slump, and while the team is trusting, the fans are low on the trust-o-meter. And now, not just these two players, but fans are even calling for the skipper to be fired from the job. The reality is, though, that Dave Roberts has been the manager since 2016, and since then, he has helped the team win two titles, and they have also been in the WS four times. So, unless something drastic like the Dodgers not making it to the playoffs or internal issues arise, that seems tough.

​​The LA Dodgers seem to be in a tough spot now; they are really reeling through it. Dave Roberst needs guys he can trust, but the question is– who exactly falls in this category? For fans, it’s not Scott, at least.