Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Eric Lauer said comments he made about not wanting an opener before his starts were “taken out of context.”
The Blue Jays traded Lauer and cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash after designating him for assignment a week ago. Lauer was DFA’d by the Blue Jays after a poor start to the season, where he had a 1-5 record and 6.69 ERA in 8 games with a -0.5 bWAR.
In addition to his struggles on the mound, it also didn’t help that Lauer butted heads with Blue Jays manager John Schneider over the team using an opener before one of his starts, and he was frustrated by some of the comments the team made when the organization defeated him in salary arbitration over the winter.
Eric Lauer Explains Opener Comments
Speaking to Dodgers reporters after being traded to Los Angeles, Lauer was asked about the previous comments he made about not wanting an opener to be used ahead of his starts. According to the veteran pitcher, those comments were “taken out of context.”
“See, I think some of that — a lot of that — was kind of taken out of context. There was no ill will there. There were no hurt feelings. It was a very simple question, I thought. ‘How do you feel about an opener?’ I think if you ask most starters in the league, they would probably have the same response: that they don’t like it. But it doesn’t mean that I’m not willing to do it. It doesn’t mean that I’m not a team player. I’m not going to have a problem if there is somebody in front of me. It’s part of the game. It’s become a part of the game. We’re all here to win ball games. It’s not about any individual player,” Lauer said.
“So yeah, that was a lot more than I expected that to turn into, and I got a lot of hate for that. I cleared it up with the pitching coach (Pete Walker). I cleared it up with Pete and Schneids right away. There was no ill will there. There was no crap-talking or anything about them to them. We all understand where it came from. It was just a little more blown up than I expected it to be, and more than I ever wanted it to be. There’s no problem with an opener, I’ll say that.”
The newest member of the #Dodgers – Eric Lauer speaks to @kirsten_watson and the media before tonight’s matchup with the Padres.
Eric Lauer Will Start for the Dodgers
After being used in a swingman role for the Blue Jays, Lauer will get the opportunity to start for the Dodgers. To that end, he has already spoken to Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior about some of the things he can work on to get his season back on track.
While Lauer’s numbers this year in Toronto were poor, he is confident that a change of scenery and working with new coaches can help bust him out of his funk. If the Dodgers can get the Lauer of 2025 back, the one who pitched well against them in the 2025 World Series, then they will surely be happy to add him to their championship-winning ballclub.
Eric Lauer Says Opener Comments Were ‘Taken Out of Context’