The Toronto Blue Jays designated left-handed beginning pitcher Eric Lauer on Might 11 after he posted a 6.69 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP and 26 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings throughout eight appearances (six begins).
Six days later, Toronto traded Lauer to the Los Angeles Dodgers for money. The southpaw has shortly turned his season round since becoming a member of the back-to-back World Sequence champions.
Former Blue Jays Castoff Eric Lauer Reviving Profession With Dodgers
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 22: Eric Lauer #33 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws towards the Philadelphia Phillies through the third inning at Residents Financial institution Park on July 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photograph by Caean Couto/Getty Pictures)
Since turning into a Dodger, Lauer has recorded a robust 3.35 ERA in 45 2/3 innings throughout eight outings (seven begins).
Lauer hasn’t improved his stroll fee a lot since becoming a member of Los Angeles; in his 45 2/3 innings with the Dodgers, he has allowed 12 free passes, solely 4 fewer than he surrendered in his 36 1/3 innings with Toronto this yr.
Lauer hasn’t elevated his strikeout fee, both, as he has recorded the identical variety of strikeouts with Los Angeles as he did with Toronto earlier this season.
The rationale Lauer has been extra profitable with the Dodgers is easy: he has allowed fewer hits. Opponents are hitting .223 towards the Dodgers model of Lauer. In the meantime, the left-hander had a poor opponent batting common of .264 with the Blue Jays this season.
It was a bit shocking that the Blue Jays gave up on Lauer so shortly this yr. Final season, he recorded a 3.18 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings throughout 28 appearances (15 begins) with the Blue Jays.
Lauer additionally carried out properly for the Blue Jays throughout their magical postseason run, posting a 3.12 ERA in 8 2/3 innings throughout 5 outings.
Toronto Might Have DFA’d Lauer For Causes Different Than His Efficiency
The Blue Jays might have lower Lauer free for causes apart from on-field efficiency.
Toronto retained Lauer by way of arbitration this previous offseason. He filed at $5.75 million and the Blue Jays at $4.4 million. Toronto received, and he advised Sportsnet’s Hazel Might that he felt he couldn’t earn as a lot after being moved to the bullpen late final yr as a result of the workforce known as up Trey Yesavage and bought Shane Bieber.
The Blue Jays signed Dylan Stop and Cody Ponce within the offseason, making Toronto’s rotation seem crowded. Lauer made it clear he wished to begin.
Due to accidents to José Berríos, Kevin Gausman and Yesavage, Lauer started the yr in Toronto’s rotation. However he nonetheless had gripes with the Blue Jays. Two of his appearances with the Blue Jays got here after an opener. “To be actual blunt, I hate it. I can’t stand it,” Lauer advised Keegan Matheson of MLB.com when requested how he felt about pitching after an opener.
It’ll be fascinating to see if Lauer continues to succeed with the Dodgers regardless of his low strikeout fee. He notably had a tough 5.28 FIP with Los Angeles earlier than his begin towards the Phillies on Wednesday. And his .213 BABIP suggests he could also be getting a bit fortunate.
The Dodgers are additionally coping with a number of beginning pitching accidents, with Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell on the IL, and Shohei Ohtani taking a break from pitching.
For now, it seems Lauer is simply holding down the fort till Los Angeles’ rotation will get totally wholesome. If the Dodgers finally have each starter wholesome, Lauer might discover himself moved to a bullpen position, which, if historical past tells us something, he received’t be completely satisfied about. Regardless, the left-hander deserves credit score for the sturdy outcomes to date with the Dodgers.
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