Report: Eric Lauer to be available out of bullpen this weekend

Since the Toronto Blue Jays traded for former pitching Triple Crown-winner Shane Bieber at the trade deadline in July, the thought of what the Blue Jays would do with the starting rotation loomed large. Was it going to be a six-man rotation? Or does somebody get displaced and moved to the bullpen?

After weeks of speculation, the answer to that question is here. Blue Jays manager John Schneider confirmed to the media that young left-hander Eric Lauer has been temporarily moved to the bullpen and will be available this weekend against the Miami Marlins.

This weekend, the Blue Jays will send out Bieber on Friday, Jose Berrios on Saturday, and Kevin Gausman on Sunday. "It's going to be a fluid situation," said Schneider after the decision about Lauer was made. "It definitely doesn't take him out of starting contention going forward.”

During Wednesday's broadcast, Sportsnet's Hazel Mae spoke with Lauer about the bullpen move and emphasized transparency with the coaching staff. "It's been kind of an ongoing conversation. They just wanted to be very transparent with what was going on," said Lauer.

Per Mae, Lauer credits John Schneider and the rest of the coaching staff for keeping him updated on the situation and "the best kind of transition from all the guys in the rotation."

Lauer emerged as one of the brighter pieces in what ultimately has been a below-average starting rotation. He's 8-2 on the season with a 2.76 ERA, 88 strikeouts, and leads the pitching staff in WAR at 2.7. The starting rotation as a whole sees a 5.7 WAR (which is 27th across the Major Leagues), a combined 4.35 ERA, and is 28th in HR/9 at 1.55. Since the All-Star break, Lauer ranks second in ERA amongst the Blue Jays starters at 2.73.

Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling anticipates that the reason for Lauer's temporary displacement is due to his recent experience in the bullpen.

"I think it's Lauer's familiarity with that role. It really would've been him or Jose Berrios and Berrios hasn't pitched out of the bullpen since his rookie season," said Zwelling. "Obviously, Lauer's been in better form lately and has had better results lately than Berrios had. I think the Blue Jays are thinking about flexibility and the fact Lauer could much more easily take this temporary move to the bullpen and then back to the starting rotation than Berrios could."

Mentioning the Blue Jays' 2025 Opening Day starter is unfortunate, but it doesn't come without merit. Berrios' value has decreased from his 2024 season, and he has struggled to be effective with his pitches, per Baseball Savant.

There's no doubt the Blue Jays need Lauer's production on the mound as a starter in the final weeks of the 2025 season. If Schneider continued to reiterate that it's a temporary assignment, then hopefully the Blue Jays find a spot for Lauer sooner rather than later.