2:37 PM: Both teams officially announced the move, which is Lauer and cash considerations going to Los Angeles in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. The right hand Brusdar Graterol changed from 15-day IL to 60-day IL to make room for Lauer on the 40-man roster.
2:08 PM: The Dodgers get a left-hander Eric Lauer from the Blue Jays, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. The Blue Jays designated Lauer active last week and there has been no word on Lauer’s status on the waiver wire. Woo’s original report stated that Lauer had signed with Los Angeles (so he resigned and was released, or Lauer declined an outright assignment in favor of free agency), but his revised report states that “the process is still being worked out,” which could mean the Dodgers and Jays are working on some kind of small trade.
The Dodgers will owe Lauer just a fraction of the MLB minimum salary, and that number will be subtracted from the roughly $3.2MM remaining in Lauer’s 2026 salary. The Blue Jays will pay the rest of that $3.2MM amount, unless more money is kicked in from the Dodgers as part of the trade.
Lauer posted solid numbers as a starter and pitcher with the Padres and Brewers from 2018-22, but his career was at a crossroads after a difficult 2023 campaign. The lefty didn’t make it to the big leagues at all in 2024, as he spent his time playing with the Astros and Pirates and also played in the KBO League with the Kia Tigers. Toronto signed Lauer to a minor league contract through the 2024-25 offseason, and he ended up being one of the unsung heroes of the Jays’ run to the American League crown.
Initially called upon as a reliever and bulk pitcher, Lauer was thrust into a full-time starting role in June before being returned to the bullpen in September and throughout the offseason. Lauer posted a 3.18 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate, and 6.1% walk rate over 104 2/3 regular season innings and posted a 3.12 ERA over 8 2/3 playoff frames.
Despite these strong numbers, the Jays still view Lauer as a pool or depth option heading into 2026, as Toronto talks about rotating through signings. Dylan Cease again Cody Ponceand meet again Max Scherzer. However, fate intervened again with multiple injuries that quickly depleted the Blue Jays’ depth, leaving Lauer once again on the job.
This time, Lauer came back down to earth. He’s posted a 6.69 ERA over 36 1/3 innings and eight strikeouts this season, and his 16K% and 9.9BB% have also gone in the wrong direction since 2025. Lauer hasn’t been feeling well as he’s dealing with a bad case of the flu, but there also seems to be a rift between the left-hander and the team. Lauer has been vocal about his frustration with his lack of early opportunities, and the Jays’ decision to use the opener for some of Lauer’s possessions.
Ironically, Lauer now finds himself on a team known for its unorthodox pitching lineup, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the Dodgers used the opener again if Lauer lined up to face a team with several solid right-handed hitters on the roster. That’s assuming Lauer starts at all, even if that’s the most likely scenario given the team’s rotation needs.
Tyler Glasnow again Blake Snell both are on the injured list, leaving Los Angeles with two holes in its preferred six-man rotation model. Roki SasakiThe starting job is also less stable given the right-hander’s sluggish start to the 2026 campaign, though Sasaki may retain his rotation role simply because of a lack of other options. Lauer can be placed alongside Sasaski, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Justin Wrobleskiagain Emmett Sheehan. Down on the farm, Ryan River may be close to being ready to return to the majors, so the Dodgers once again find themselves in the odd position of technically having an abundance of rotation, and a shortage of arms.
