As the Los Angeles Dodgers rotated fresh arms into their bullpen before Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, they also acquired Eric Lauer in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Lauer had been designated for assignment one week ago and was traded to the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations. The anticipation is Lauer will meet the team at some point during their series with the San Diego Padres, but as of Sunday afternoon had encountered some logistical issues with travel.
“We’re trying to get him to San Diego,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He’ll be in the ‘pen and we’ll kind of use him there as a long man for now. It could change, but for now as a long man.”
Lauer in some sense is going to fill the void created by Jack Dreyer landing on the 15-day injured list due to left shoulder discomfort. Dreyer leads Dodgers relief pitchers with 21.2 innings this season.
“It’s not ideal, but we will replace it,” Roberts said of needing to make up for the loss of Dreyer’s production.
Lauer enjoyed a bounce-back season with the Blue Jays in 2025 as a swingman but has struggled so far this year despite getting an opportunity to start, his preferred role.
Lauer went 1-3 with a 6.15 ERA in six starts for Toronto. Pitching out of the bullpen didn’t produce better results, as Lauer was 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in two appearances.
Overall in his eight games for Toronto this season, the 30-year-old went 1-5 with a 6.69 ERA, 6.92 FIP and 1.49 WHIP.
Lauer finished 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 28 games (15 starts) last year. He also made five appearances during the postseason, which included 5.2 scoreless innings over two games against the Dodgers in the World Series.
Eric Lauer’s history with Dodgers
Coincidentally, Lauer once was a former potential draft pick for the Dodgers. He ultimately was drafted by the Padres in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft, and went on to have plenty of success against L.A. That continued even as the left-hander joined the Milwaukee Brewers.
“I don’t know the answer,” Roberts answered when asked about his team’s ongoing struggles against Lauer in 2022. “I think he’s evolved as a pitcher. The velocity, kind of the characteristics, he’s evolved. But the results, us versus Lauer, we just can’t crack the code. So you got to give him credit.”
Lauer is a career 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA in 13 starts against the Dodgers. During his rookie season with the Padres in 2018, he remarked, “nobody likes the Dodgers.”
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