Dodgers' Eric Lauer has seemingly put his Blue Jays struggles behind him

Eric Lauer was never expected to be an important piece of the Toronto Blue Jays' puzzle in 2026, but a rash of spring pitching injuries forced him into a key role in the rotation far sooner than anyone expected. Unfortunately, he didn't respond well to the pressure, posting a 6.69 ERA and 6.92 FIP through 36.1 innings.

By mid may, the front office had seen enough, designated the veteran left-hander for assignment. Mere days later, they found a taker for Lauer, shipping him off to their World Series rivals in Los Angeles.

Most figured this was just a form of payback for the 2025 Fall Classic, as Lauer's -0.6 fWAR in Toronto rendered him as nothing more than roster fodder. And yet, as they always seem to do, the Dodgers have gotten the most out of the southpaw.

Eric Lauer's success with Dodgers is a cruel twist of fate for pitching-needy Blue Jays

Since arriving in L.A., Lauer has become a fixture of the Dodgers' six-man rotation, giving the team ample opportunity to rest their trio of Japanese stars (Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki). He's pitched to a 3.22 ERA over his first four starts, am improvement made possible by much better command and a rapidly increasing ground-ball rate.

Not all is peachy, as his 5.56 FIP and meager 15.9% strikeout rate suggest that Lauer is getting the benefit of some luck in his new home. Then again, his xERA (expected earned run average) sits at 4.23 with the Dodgers, a near-50% improvement from his time with the Blue Jays this year.

Fans who closely followed the Jays last year shouldn't be too surprised at this recent hot streak; Lauer was a rotation-saving revelation in the first half of 2025, covering large chunks of innings as a starter or bulk reliever for a team that lost Max Scherzer after just three innings. He knows how to pitch to contact effectively, even if that skill eluded him in March and April.

Of course, his performance wasn't the only thing that prematurely ended his relationship with the Blue Jays. Lauer made some public comments about his usage -- especially when he was asked to serve as an opener -- that didn't set right within the clubhouse, though in hindsight, it's hard to blame him too much for seeking clarity on his role. He did say he's on good terms with those in Toronto, but that hardly helps anyone now.

When Tyler Glasnow and/or Blake Snell return, Lauer may soon find himself in a similarly uncomfortable position with the Dodgers. However, if his newfound success is any indication, he'll keep finding a way to be the pitcher who the Blue Jays desperately needed but never got.

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