The Philadelphia Phillies spent the entire 2024 season looking to upgrade their bullpen. While they had a lot of talent for the backend of games, they didn’t have a shutdown closer who could confidently throw the ninth inning of games.

At the trade deadline, Philadelphia added right-handed pitcher Carlos Estévez from the Los Angeles Angels. Estévez was on an expiring contract, so now the Phillies are set to lose him. FanSided’s MLB insider Robert Murray recently revealed the Phillies are one of the teams pursuing free-agent reliever Tanner Scott. Scott is projected to sign for $54 million, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him land a more lucrative contract than that. The southpaw is the best reliever on the market.

“Free-agent reliever Tanner Scott’s market is extensive, and includes many big market teams such as the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and others,” Murray wrote.

Adding Scott would be a huge land for the Phillies, but they’re set to face some serious competition for his services. With the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets also in pursuit, the Phillies will need to be ready to pony up some serious cash for the southpaw. Scott has consistently been a top reliever over the last few years and the Phillies will need to pay him as such. But if they can get the lefty on their roster, they won’t need to worry about adding a closer for a few years.