Phillies and Blue Jays could be working on a trade for Eric Lauer
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Victor William
Feb 9, 2026 (8:24 PM)
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Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Eric Lauer (Signed as Free Agent, 2024 by Toronto) just gave the Blue Jays the kind of stabilization season you usually only pray for, posting a stellar 3.18 ERA and saving the bullpen time and time again.
It feels ungrateful to ship him out after he went 9-2 and ate 104.2 innings of high-stress baseball, but sentimentality doesn't win World Series rings.
The reality is that with a crowded rotation featuring Dylan Cease and Shane Bieber, Lauer is a luxury asset we can flip for pure upside.
The proposed deal sending Lauer to the Los Angeles Angels brings back a name that should make every pitching nerd in Toronto sit up straight: George Klassen (Drafted 6th Round, 2023 by Phillies).
This isn't a safe depth piece; this is a lottery ticket with jackpot potential.
We are talking about a kid who struck out 134 batters in just 108.2 minor league innings last season. You can’t teach that kind of miss-the-bat ability.
Sporting News breaks down why this swap makes sense for both sides, with the Angels desperate for Lauer’s reliability while Toronto hunts for the next big arm.
Sure, Klassen’s 5.22 ERA in the minors last year is ugly on paper. But look closer at the raw stuff.
He hits 100 mph and has a strikeout rate that screams "closer of the future" if he can just harness his command.
The Pitching Lab's next masterpiece
This is exactly the type of clay the Blue Jays' development system loves to mold. We have seen them turn raw velocity into dominance before, and Klassen fits the profile perfectly.
Lauer did his job, and he did it well. But holding onto a swingman when you can acquire a 24-year-old with elite velocity is playing it safe in a division that demands boldness.
The rotation is set; now it’s time to stockpile the weapons that will keep it elite for the next five years.
If Klassen figures it out, we will look back at this trade as absolute robbery.
Also read on Toronto Baseball Insider :
Blue Jays and Cardinals close to agreement on trade for all-star
Blue Jays and Cardinals close to agreement on trade for all-star
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 9|264 ANSWERS Phillies and Blue Jays could be working on a trade for Eric Lauer Do you trust the Blue Jays to fix George Klassen's control issues? | ||
| Yes | 161 | 61 % |
| No | 103 | 39 % |
| List of polls | ||