Eric Lauer Joins Dodgers in May 17 Trade — Dodgers Blue Jays Trade
The dodgers blue jays trade sent left-hander Eric Lauer to Los Angeles on May 17, with Toronto sending cash and the return set as a player to be named later or cash considerations. The Dodgers added pitching depth while Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell remain on the injured list.
The move also forced a roster shuffle. Los Angeles transferred Brusdar Graterol from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, and the deal came a day after Toronto designated Lauer for assignment earlier in the week.
Lauer’s role in Toronto
Lauer was not a long-shot pickup for the Blue Jays. Toronto had signed him to a minor league contract in the 2024-25 offseason, then used him as a long reliever and bulk pitcher before moving him into a full starting role by June.
His usage changed again in September and through the postseason, when he returned to bullpen work. That swing between roles is part of why the trade mattered for both clubs: Toronto had a pitcher who could move through different jobs, but the Blue Jays chose to turn that depth into a deal while their rotation picture kept shifting.
Lauer’s recent numbers explain why Los Angeles took the chance. He posted a 3.18 ERA across 104 2/3 regular-season innings in 2025 and a 3.12 ERA in 8 2/3 playoff frames that year, then followed with a 6.69 ERA over 36 1/3 innings and eight outings in 2026.
Dodgers rotation pressure
Los Angeles needed help. Glasnow and Snell are both on the injured list, and Roki Sasaki’s starting job is described as less than stable, so Lauer arrives with a path to real innings rather than just emergency depth.
The money in the deal shows how Toronto moved the contract. The Blue Jays are paying down some portion of the approximate $3.1 million remaining on Lauer’s $4.4 million arbitration salary, with around $2.5 million in cash going to cover the bulk of that salary and the Dodgers picking up around $600,000.
Los Angeles will also pay a 110% tax on whatever amount of Lauer’s salary it assumes. Toronto, meanwhile, gets relief from a salary it no longer needed to carry and clears room after earlier designating him for assignment.
For the Dodgers, the trade is a straightforward innings play: a left-hander with a recent starting stretch, a bullpen track record, and enough salary support from Toronto to make the move manageable. For the Blue Jays, it is a quiet exit from a pitcher they had already pushed off the roster and a reminder that pitching depth can disappear quickly once injuries pile up.
