Have the Blue Jays Mismanaged Their Pitching Staff?

"Lauer to the Bullpen It's hard to imagine where the Blue Jays would be this season if not for the emergence of Eric Lauer. With Max Scherzer on the shelf for the first half of the season, and with Bowden Francis unable to replicate his 2024 success, the journeyman lefty was called up at the end of April, and immediately provided relief to a beleaguered staff."

"After six impressive bulk appearances out of the bullpen and a couple of spot starts, Lauer joined the rotation on June 11th, and over the course of 12 starts, pitched to a 6-1 record with a 3.05 ERA, 63 punch-outs, and just 16 walks. By comparison, over that same stretch, Jose Berrios' numbers were headed in the opposite direction. After two strong starts to close out June, Berrios pitched to a 5.68 ERA across nine starts, averaging less than five innings per appea"

The Toronto Blue Jays combine exceptional defense, timely hitting, late-inning resiliency, deep pitching contributions, and positive clubhouse energy. Open communication and role clarity led to quick integration of call-ups like Joey Loperfido, Jonatan Clase, and Buddy Kennedy into starting lineups. A full-roster approach produced success but created difficult roster decisions when Daulton Varsho returned, Shane Bieber was inserted, and Anthony Santander returned. The team’s late-season stumble prompts reevaluation of those choices. Eric Lauer emerged from the bullpen to the rotation, producing a 6-1 record, 3.05 ERA, 63 strikeouts and 16 walks in 12 starts, while Jose Berrios’ performance declined.

Read at Jays Journal