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Eric Lauer says his role change cost him significantly in arbitration.
Veteran left-hander Eric Lauer was a valuable member of the Toronto Blue Jays‘ pitching staff as the club advanced to the World Series, but the reliever blames the team for his lower contract for the 2026 season.
Lauer lost his arbitration case against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, February 11. He filed at $5.75 million, while the team submitted a $4.4 million figure. The arbitrators ultimately sided with the Blue Jays, which means Lauer will make the lesser amount this season.
After a handful of appearances as a reliever, Lauer emerged as a reliable member of Toronto’s starting rotation. In September, he was bumped back to a relief role. “The fact that I ended last year in the bullpen was probably what lost me my (arbitration) case,” Lauer told reporters, including Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
Eric Lauer was “pretty disappointed” he lost his arbitration case, especially because his camp was willing to negotiate a “reasonable offer.”
He told me finishing the year as a middle reliever likely worked against him, regardless of how it was framed to him. (1/2)
Eric Lauer Blames Role Change For Arbitration Loss to Toronto Blue Jays
The veteran began the season in long relief, though he was regularly throwing three to four innings. Toronto would typically use an “opener” in front of Lauer, with a short reliever covering an inning or two before giving way to the lefty. In mid-June, he became a normal starter. All 13 of Lauer’s appearances from June 11 through August were as a standard starting pitcher. He compiled a solid 3.65 ERA with a pristine 6-1 record.
The return of Shane Bieber and the emergence of Trey Yesavage cost Lauer his rotation spot. Bieber missed the majority of the season while recovering from elbow surgery. He returned in late August. Yesavage burst on the scene midway through September. The rookie fired five innings of one-run ball in his debut, racking up nine strikeouts.
The roster shuffling left Lauer to return to long relief work. He pitched strictly out of the bullpen in September, covering 12 innings across seven appearances. Lauer cruised to a 3.00 ERA with nearly a strikeout per inning. It was more of the same in the postseason. Lauer pitched twice in the ALDS, once in the ALCS, and then two more times in the World Series. All of those appearances came as a reliever. Lauer delivered starter-level innings in Game 3 of the World Series, covering 4.2 innings in a marathon 18-inning loss.
What Will Lauer’s Role Be in 2026?
Despite earning the start in the Blue Jays’ first spring training game, the veteran lefty is likely to be stuck in a long relief role this season. Toronto went out and dropped $210 million on Dylan Cease, the biggest pitcher signing of the offseason. The Blue Jays also picked up Cody Ponce, who has spent the past four seasons pitching overseas. Yesavage is guaranteed a spot after his breakout down the stretch. Kevin Gausman remains the ace.
That leaves one rotation spot up for grabs. It could go to Lauer, but there’s a better chance it falls to Jose Berrios. Injuries kept the right-hander off the postseason roster, and his relationship with the team seemed strained at times, though his contract likely ensures another crack as a starter. Berrios will make more than $18 million this season, the fifth campaign of the seven-year, $131 million pact he signed in 2022. He can opt out after this year, but he’s probably not going to leave nearly $50 million on the table.
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