Eric Lauer's fight for a permanent rotation spot just hit another obstacle, and this time it has nothing to do with performance.
The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Tarik Skubal, and that move has pushed Lauer back into the bullpen after he'd finally found real success as a traditional starter.
Lauer left the Toronto Blue Jays specifically because he wanted a permanent starting role, publicly criticizing Toronto's use of openers ahead of his starts back in April.
Since arriving in Los Angeles, Lauer had thrived once given the traditional starting role he'd always wanted, going undefeated across his first eight appearances with the Dodgers.
Now Skubal's arrival changes the math entirely, giving Los Angeles another frontline starter and pushing Lauer back to a relief role he'd specifically left Toronto to avoid.
Skubal brings elite numbers to the Dodgers rotation, posting a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts across 96.2 innings this season, exactly the kind of frontline production that squeezes a spot away from someone else.
Lauer's overall season sits at a 4.50 ERA across 88 innings, a number that reflects both his early struggles in Toronto and his strong recent stretch in Los Angeles combined.
Why this move creates a strange irony for Lauer
Lauer left Toronto specifically because he didn't want to pitch out of the bullpen behind an opener, and now he finds himself back in a relief role anyway, just for a completely different reason.
It's a real reminder that roster construction, not just personal preference, ultimately determines who starts and who relieves on a big league staff, regardless of where a pitcher would rather pitch.
It's a bit like finally getting the corner office you always wanted, only to have the company restructure and move you back to a shared space for reasons entirely outside your control.
Does Lauer's recent success as a starter still matter for his long-term role, or does Skubal's arrival simply mean the bullpen is where he's needed most now regardless of past performance?
For now, Lauer adjusts to a new reality in Los Angeles, proving once again that even strong results don't always guarantee a fixed role in this sport.
Should Eric Lauer have stayed in the rotation despite the Dodgers acquiring Tarik Skubal?
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