Blue Jays Castoff Reveals How He's Turned Into Potential Steal for Dodgers

Just a few weeks ago, veteran left-hander Eric Lauer wasn't sure how the rest of his 2026 season was going to go.

Lauer got off to a poor start with the Toronto Blue Jays, both on and off the field. The veteran called out the organization for using openers in games, and eventually, his struggles became too much for Toronto to handle.

The Blue Jays traded Lauer to the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving him a fresh start to turn the season around. And to this point, this move has looked like a great one for Los Angeles, with Lauer looking like his old self through two starts.

Lauer has pitched 10.2 innings for the Dodgers, posting an ERA of 2.53 and giving this team a real boost. The veteran spoke about what has been working with Los Angeles, compared to when he was with the Blue Jays this year.

“I think overall it’s stuff that I kind of had been working on. It was just, when I was DFA’d, I think I was on my way to making these adjustments, and I was kind of getting to them,” Lauer said. “I think here I’ve just been able to implement them a little bit more. And I think the work between starts has been good for me, so being able to just focus on those things, and really put them into play has been big for me.”

Before coming to the Dodgers, Lauer struggled heavily in Toronto, recording an ERA of 6.69 over eight appearances. The left-hander couldn't figure things out on the mound, and it became a real concern for the Blue Jays.

Last season, Lauer was excellent, becoming one of the most consistent arms for the team in the postseason. Lauer registered an ERA of 3.12 for Toronto in five postseason appearances, and he even pitched 5.1 shutout innings against the Dodgers in the World Series.

The lefty has given the Dodgers a nice boost, especially given the injuries to both Blake Snell (elbow) and Tyler Glasnow (back) in the rotation. Manager Dave Roberts has been happy with his performance so far, even comparing him to another pitcher who saw real success playing for the Dodgers a few years ago.

“I couldn’t be more pleased,” Roberts said. “It sort of reminds you of what Tyler Anderson did for us years ago. He’s prepared, he’s not scared, and he uses his pitch mix to get outs, and that’s the most important thing. So, he’s not going to punch a bunch of guys out, but he was a good add for us.”

Lauer isn't going to be the shutdown starter like some other guys on the roster, but if he can continue to perform well, the Dodgers will give him more chances. Overall, this has been a strong move for the organization, and Lauer has earned Roberts' trust in the early stages of his tenure in Los Angeles.

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