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Lauer (1-2) took the loss against the Twins on Saturday, allowing seven runs on five hits and five walks while striking out three across 5.1 innings.
All seven of the runs Lauer gave up during Saturday's contest came in the third inning, highlighted by a solo home run from Brooks Lee and a three-run long shot from Trevor Larnach. Lauer ended up staying in the ball game before being pulled in the sixth in order to give the Blue Jays' bullpen some rest, tossing 95 pitches (53 strikes) while generating only five whiffs and two groundouts. Lauer has struggled to open the 2026 regular season, and through three starts he has yielded 11 earned runs on 11 hits and nine walks while striking out 12 over 12.2 frames. He's slated to start next weekend on the road against the Diamondbacks.
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Blue Jays' Eric Lauer: Not 100 percent Sunday
Rotowire
Lauer (flu) was far from full strength Sunday and gave up two runs on three hits and three walks in two innings against the White Sox, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. Lauer took the loss.
Lauer's start was pushed back one day due to the illness, but it sounds like it still negatively affected his performance. Miguel Vargas plated two runs with a triple in the first inning, and Lauer was fortunate to strand two-thirds of his baserunners in this one. He will presumably be back to full strength for next weekend's matchup at home against the Twins.
Lauer will start Sunday against the White Sox instead of Saturday as previously scheduled due to an illness, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
An ailment has apparently been working its way through the Blue Jays' clubhouse, and it will push Lauer back one day in the rotation. The left-hander made his season debut last Sunday versus the Athletics and had a strong showing, striking out nine while giving up two runs on three hits and a walk over 5.1 innings.
Lauer (1-0) earned the win against the Athletics on Sunday, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk with nine strikeouts over 5.1 innings.
Lauer allowed a two-run homer in the fifth inning but was otherwise fantastic, generating a whopping 17 whiffs on 87 pitches. The 30-year-old got the nod with Trey Yesavage (shoulder) opening the year on the injured list and certainly made a strong case to stick in the rotation for now. He posted a 3.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 102:26 K:BB across 104.2 regular-season innings in 2025 and tentatively lines up for a road matchup against the White Sox next weekend.
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Blue Jays' Eric Lauer: Rotation spot opens
Rotowire
Lauer is expected to begin the season in the Blue Jays' rotation with Trey Yesavage (shoulder) headed for the IL, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
While manager John Schneider didn't guarantee the southpaw a spot in the rotation Thursday, there wouldn't seem to be any other clear options in camp for Toronto with Yesavage, Shane Bieber (forearm) and Jose Berrios (elbow) all on the shelf. "He's got a good chance," Schneider said. "Just got to figure out exactly who is where." The Jays play seven straight games to begin their regular season, six at home against the A's and Rockies before beginning a road series against the White Sox on April 2, so using a four-man rotation early wouldn't seem to be an option. Lauer's last spring outing came on a back field, but he built up to nearly 70 pitches in a minor-league game. Over 104.2 innings in a swingman role in 2025, the 30-year-old posted a 3.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 102:26 K:BB in 28 appearances (15 starts).
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Blue Jays' Eric Lauer: Still getting stretched out
Rotowire
Lauer allowed four runs on four hits and a walk over 3.1 innings in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. He struck out three.
The big blow off the southpaw was a three-run shot by Giancarlo Stanton in the third inning. Lauer built up to 60 pitches (39 strikes), and while he's still expected to begin the season as a long reliever, his path to a spot in the rotation is beginning to look a little clearer. Shane Bieber (forearm) will begin the year on the IL, and Jose Berrios is dealing with elbow inflammation. That could leave Max Scherzer and Lauer in line to be the No. 5 and, if needed, No. 6 starters for the first weeks of the season.
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Blue Jays' Eric Lauer: Loses arbitration battle
Rotowire
Lauer will earn $4.4 million in 2026 after losing his arbitration hearing with the Blue Jays on Wednesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Lauer had filed for a $5.75 million salary, coming off a 2025 campaign in which he delivered a 3.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 102:26 K:BB in 104.2 innings. The veteran lefty brought some stability to the back end of the Toronto rotation for much of the summer before he transitioned into a relief role once the Blue Jays regained some health with the returns of Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer from injuries. Scherzer is now a free agent, but with Toronto retaining Bieber, trading for Dylan Cease and preparing breakout postseason star Trey Yesavage for a full-time rotation spot in 2026, Lauer could see a larger share of his appearances out of the bullpen during the upcoming season.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Lauer will shift to the bullpen for the remainder of the season, as the team transitions back to a five-man rotation, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Lauer has generally been dependable as a back-end starter for the Blue Jays, but he was knocked around over his four appearances (three starts) in August, allowing 13 runs (11 earned) on 27 hits and six home runs over 18.2 innings. With Shane Bieber looking strong thus far since completing his recovery from Tommy John surgery and returning from the injured list, the Blue Jays were comfortable proceeding with five starters. Lauer will likely operate as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen, and if he performs well down the stretch, he could secure a spot on the Blue Jays' postseason roster.
Lauer didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against Minnesota, allowing eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits across 4.2 innings. He struck out four.
It was a rough outing for the left-hander, who gave up a season-high four homers before departing with two outs in the fifth inning. Prior to Wednesday, Lauer had not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his first 14 starts this year. Overall, his ERA sits at 3.21 with a 1.13 WHIP and 91:25 K:BB across 92.2 innings this season. Per manager John Schneider, Lauer will likely move into the bullpen down the stretch with Shane Bieber returning to the rotation.
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