Eric Lauer Gives Blue Jays a Boost as Unexpected Rotation Standout
When the Toronto Blue Jays signed Eric Lauer to a minor league deal in late 2024, few expected it to turn into one of the team’s most valuable pitching moves of the season. Once considered a fringe depth piece, Lauer has become a surprising stabilizer in a Blue Jays rotation that’s dealt with its fair share of turbulence.
After beginning the year in Triple-A Buffalo, Lauer was called up in April and quickly found his rhythm. Originally deployed as a swingman—a pitcher capable of starting, long relief, or bullpen work—he’s proven adaptable, effective, and incredibly reliable.
Through his first 11 outings with Toronto, Lauer posted a stellar 2.21 ERA, the second-lowest by any pitcher in Blue Jays history over their first 11 appearances with the club. Only Roger Clemens, in his Cy Young-winning 1997 campaign, had a better mark. By mid-July, his ERA still sat below 3.00, despite facing multiple playoff-contending lineups. In a rotation where consistency has been hard to find due to injuries and underperformance, Lauer has been a rare bright spot.
What makes his success even more impressive is the way he’s doing it. Lauer isn’t overpowering hitters with a blazing fastball—in fact, he averages just around 91 mph—but he’s commanding the zone, mixing pitches smartly, and generating weak contact. Statcast data shows his four-seam fastball is among the most effective in terms of run value, even without elite velocity. That’s a testament to how well he locates and sequences his pitches.
Injuries to Max Scherzer, Alek Manoah, and others created an opening for Lauer, and he’s seized the opportunity. He’s been used in various roles, including spot starts and long relief outings, but no matter the assignment, the left-hander has delivered. In one standout performance in June against Arizona, he struck out eight over five innings while allowing just one run—further proof of his growing confidence and reliability on the mound.
Lauer’s impact goes beyond the numbers. His presence has given the Jays flexibility in how they manage their pitching staff. Whether it’s giving the bullpen a breather or covering innings during doubleheaders and rotation shuffles, he’s been exactly the kind of versatile arm teams covet during a long season.
His approach is simple: stay ready, throw strikes, and compete. As he put it in a post-game interview, “Your best ability is availability,” and so far in 2025, he’s been both available and effective.
With Toronto fighting to stay in the playoff picture, Lauer’s contributions are becoming more than just a nice surprise—they’re a key reason the team is still in the hunt. What started as a minor league flier has turned into one of the smartest low-cost moves of the Blue Jays’ season.
If he continues this form into the stretch run, Lauer could go from under-the-radar addition to one of the unsung heroes of the 2025 campaign.
