Dodgers GM discusses hope with adding Eric Lauer during down season

Eric Lauer was added to the Dodgers’ active roster ahead of a game against the Padres after being acquired from the Blue Jays for cash considerations. He struggled this season with a 1-5 record, 6.69 ERA, 6.94 FIP, and 1.49 WHIP across eight appearances, including six starts. Last season, he posted a 9-2 record with a 3.18 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 28 games, and he made five postseason appearances, including 5.2 scoreless innings against the Dodgers in the World Series. The Dodgers acquired him to strengthen pitching depth and believe they can help him return to prior performance. They plan to use him as a swingman with occasional starts.

"The Dodgers' trade for Lauer came amid their need for pitching depth and believing he can be a valuable contributor. "The biggest thing is making sure we're balancing winning as many games as possible, but not panicking and throwing our process out-of-whack here," general manager Brandon Gomes said. "Trying to balance the short- and longterm. This is a guy that's had a lot of success in the big leagues and somebody that we feel like we can get back to what he was last year.""

"Lauer's struggles this season can be attributed in part to his velocity and stuff being down. Gomes is confident the Dodgers will be able to correct whatever issues are present and help him return to his previous form. "We've had our guys take a look, and we'll sit down with him and talk through some stuff to see how much we can do on the fly, how much of it is conscious, subconscious," Gomes explained. "We know the makeup is really good and we're looking forward to working with him to get him back to being as successful as he was in the past.""

"Lauer went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 28 games (15 starts) last season. He also made five appearances during the postseason, which included 5.2 scoreless innings against the Dodgers in the World Series. The left-hander struggled to the tune of a 1-5 record, 6.69 ERA, 6.94 FIP and 1.49 WHIP in eight appearances (six starts) with the Blue Jays this season."

Read at Dodger Blue