nypost
Eric Lauer has heard the whispers, and so has his spouse. The veteran pitcher admitted Wednesday night that his wife detests the growing speculation about a potential trade before the July 30 deadline. "I love it here," Lauer said. "I think I'm thriving here, and I would love to be part of this team."
Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays after being designated for assignment, the 31-year-old left-hander was told early on that his role might be temporary. "I was aware of coming over here that it might be like a rental thing," Lauer explained. "There's some big guys that have injuries that there was just a need. So, see a need, fill a need kind of thing."
Since joining the Dodgers, Lauer has exceeded expectations, going 5-0 with a 2.96 ERA in nine outings, all of which resulted in Dodgers victories. However, with Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and eventually Shohei Ohtani expected to return to the rotation, Lauer's role may become superfluous. The Dodgers have a history of trading such assets at the deadline, as seen with James Paxton and Dustin May in recent years.
Resurgence and Uncertainty
Lauer's performance has been a testament to his turnaround. His ERA in Los Angeles is less than half of what it was with the Blue Jays. Manager Dave Roberts praised him: "He's been great. He was always good against us, with just the makeup, the preparedness. And what he's done for us as far as giving us length—it seems like every time he pitches, we win."
Lauer credited the Dodgers' organization for fostering a winning mindset and highlighted renewed confidence in his slider and changeup. "The changeup for me has always kind of been like the holy grail of what I need to round out my repertoire," he said. "Being able to just be confident using that now and mixing that in a lot more has been huge to keep guys off balance."
Despite the rumors, Lauer's departure is not guaranteed. The rotation won't be at full strength for weeks, and he could serve as a swingman in the bullpen. Lauer noted he hasn't heard from the front office recently and prefers not to dwell on trade possibilities. "You don't want to play GM too much in your head because then you start getting away from what your job is," he said. "Thinking you're halfway out of the game, you're halfway out of the clubhouse, that's just never good for anybody."
In an ideal scenario for the Dodgers, Lauer might not be part of their playoff pitching staff due to his lack of overpowering stuff—averaging 91 mph on his fastball with fewer than five strikeouts per nine innings. However, for other playoff contenders needing rotation help, he could be a valuable asset. Lauer understands the reality: "Those decisions are made way above my pay grade." After one of his best starts Wednesday night, he knows it could also be his last with the Dodgers.
Originally reported by nypost.