Eric Lauer candidly speaks on Blue Jays departure after joining Dodgers

"Lauer essentially became a lightning rod for several of the things that were going wrong with the club through the first two months of the season. Though he couldn't control the injuries that ravaged the clubhouse, he could control how he performed when he was asked. The problem's arose when it felt like he had no control over anything he was doing on the mound, resulting in a 6.69 ERA in eight appearances (six starts) after posting a 3.18 ERA in 28 games (15 starts) last season."

"The Blue Jays felt like they were left with no choice but to cut Lauer, and during his time when he was on waivers the LA Dodgers came calling and offered Toronto a package they couldn't refuse - a player to be named later, or cash. Now that he's in LA, Lauer has had some time to reflect on everything that transpired between him and the Blue Jays' over the last few months, especially his relationship with the coaching staff and manager John Schneider."

"One key moment that stood out to everyone early in the season was when Lauer was asked about pitching after an opener. Lauer responded by saying he "hated it" but that those decisions were "above his paygrade." When Schneider was asked about that comment he responded with, "I respect everyone's opinion. I know the end of his quote was 'It's above my pay grade', and it's definitely above his pay grade how we use him. We're trying to win.""

Eric Lauer’s relationship with the Toronto Blue Jays reached a breaking point as neither side was satisfied with the situation. Lauer disliked how he was being used, while the Blue Jays were unhappy with his performance. He became a focal point for broader club problems during the first two months of the season. Injuries affected the team, but Lauer’s control over his own pitching was questioned after his ERA rose to 6.69 in eight appearances, compared with 3.18 in 28 games the prior season. Toronto cut him, and the Los Angeles Dodgers claimed him off waivers with a package of a player to be named later or cash. Lauer later reflected on his time in Toronto, including his relationship with the coaching staff and manager John Schneider, and said some actions and words were taken out of context.

Read at Jays Journal