Free agent frenzy: Padres All-Star Expected to Bolt for…

The San Diego Padres pulled off one of the biggest moves this summer, snagging standout closer Tanner Scott from the Miami Marlins.

Adding Scott to the bullpen was a smart move, and he delivered in a big way for San Diego, posting a solid 2.73 ERA over 28 games. Now, as he heads into free agency, he’s expected to draw a lot of attention from teams eager to bring his talent to their roster.

Will Scott be back with the Padres?

Jim Bowden of The Athletic says Scott is destined for Philadelphia.

“Lefty Tanner Scott signs a four-year, $60 million deal with the Phillies who say goodbye to high-leverage relievers Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez in free agency,” predicted Bowden.

The Phillies reportedly had their eye on Scott as a prime trade target this past July, but it was the Padres who ultimately landed him in a deal with the Marlins. Miami sent Scott and right-hander Bryan Hoeing to San Diego, receiving four of the Padres’ top prospects in return. While Philadelphia showed interest, it’s possible that either they or the Marlins were hesitant to make a move within the division, leaving Scott to make his impact out West instead.

San Diego would be smart to make a push to keep him. However, if he chooses to explore other options, the Padres could still find a solid left-handed reliever on the market. CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson even suggested a potential replacement: seven-time All-Star Aroldis Chapman.

“The short hook: Continues to get the job done,” Anderson said. “Chapman still throws hard; he still issues a lot of free passes; he still strikes out a ton of batters; and he still doesn’t seem to demand the closer’s role to sign. Is there anything new to report here? Maybe that he’s staying further from being the two-pitch pitcher he was at his peak, now throwing four pitches more than 10 percent of the time: four-seamer, sinker, slider, and splitter. Beyond that, you know this guy’s whole deal.

“Potential landing spots: (Miami Marlins), (Colorado Rockies), Padres.”

With Scott hitting free agency and a projected contract of around $60 million, the Phillies might make a serious offer to bring him on board. After an impressive season where he earned his first All-Star selection, posting a 1.75 ERA, 22 saves, and 84 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings, the 30-year-old lefty is likely to attract plenty of interest from teams across the league.