We’ve spent a lot of time this winter talking about how the Orioles ought to be looking for an ace to fill the shoes of the recently departed Corbin Burnes. We’ve spent a bit less time talking about the bullpen, though that could arguably be a more pressing issue.

The O’s bullpen left a lot of room for improvement last year. The group’s 4.22 ERA was 23rd best in the majors and while their 3.88 FIP was more middle of the pack, they had a bottom-5 strand rate and struggled heavily with walks.

Craig Kimbrel’s collapse didn’t help, nor did losing Felix Bautista for the entire season. And letting Danny Coulombe walk in free agency was quite the choice this winter. But while Bautista looks like he’ll return to full strength before Opening Day, the O’s will mostly return the group of guys who struggled last year.

The Orioles could target this stud reliever on a short-term free agent deal

Jake Rill of MLB.com has a potential solution, albeit an expensive one. Rill suggests the Orioles could target Tanner Scott, who’d previously pitched for the Orioles between 2017-2021. Scott has come into his own since leaving Baltimore. He had one really strong year with the O’s back in 2020, but pitched to a 2.31 ERA in 2023, and subsequently a 1.75 ERA in 2024 that earned him his first All Star nod.

Scott posted a 1.18 ERA in the first half of this past year with the Marlins before getting dealt to San Diego at the trade deadline. He improved both his walk and strikeout rates with the Padres, and dropped his FIP by nearly a full run, from 3.25 to 2.33.

The biggest hang up with Scott is that he was initially projected to get a significant contract in free agency. MLB Trade Rumors pegged him for 4 years and $56 million, which would seemingly be out of the Orioles price range. And Sean McAdam recently reported that Scott has been asking for $80 million, which is an even tougher pill to swallow.

If Mike Elias does want to splurge on a free agent reliever, Scott isn’t a bad choice. He’s always been a talented pitcher, showing elite strikeout stuff while at the same time struggling with free passes. He’s reigned in the walks over the past two seasons and the results have followed. A 2.04 ERA over his last 150 innings pitched is nothing to sneeze at.

Whether he can retain that level of success moving forward is obviously the biggest question. He’s run walk rates north of 15% in the past, which has been a major hindrance on his eventual success. While the O’s pitching development team has churned out some solid arms, there’s no telling what would come of Scott if he returned to Baltimore.

And while Scott did save 50 games over 3 years with the Marlins, he was shifted to a setup role in San Diego after the trade. It’s unclear whether Scott is looking to sign a deal that puts him back in the drivers’ seat for saves, or if he’s content getting the ball whenever he’s asked, regardless of game state. If he’s looking to close games, that’s a tough ask with Bautista coming back. But if he’s open to working as a setup man, he might be a good fit in Baltimore.

When he’s on his game, he’s a heck of a compliment to Bautista. He’d also help push Seranthony Dominguez a bit further down the pecking order, which would be beneficial to the Orioles. We’ll have to wait and see if the O’s are open to paying up for Scott, or if they can get him on a short-term deal a bit closer to Opening Day.