TORONTO — Any conversation about the Toronto Blue Jays’ rotation must begin with the trio of Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios and Chris Bassitt. That’s obviously been the case for the three seasons that the veteran right-handers have been together in Toronto.
However, at least in the context of this campaign, the question needs to be asked: When can we officially view Eric Lauer as another pillar of the pitching staff?
The left-hander has simply been a revelation for the Blue Jays in 2025 and continued to cement his standing in the rotation with another strong outing on Saturday. Lauer allowed just two runs over six innings, keeping the Blue Jays in the game until the bottom of the order jumped on San Francisco Giants’ ace Logan Webb in what was an exciting 6-3 win in front of a sell-out 42,015 crowd at Rogers Centre.
“I think I'm past the point saying he knows how to pitch. His stuff is pretty legit,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “It's not surprising. He's been doing this for a while now.”
Lauer had been an effective major-league hurler in the past with the Padres and Brewers, however, he found himself pitching in the minors and in Korea in 2024 before signing with the Blue Jays as a free agent this past off-season. The 30-year-old was called up to the big-league club at the end of April and whether in long relief or out of the starting rotation, Lauer has shoved.
He flip-flopped between the roles before joining the Blue Jays’ rotation for good on June 11 and in his seven starts since, Lauer’s looked more comfortable with each outing and has impressed the club with his improved rhythm and steady demeanour.
“My whole career I've been a starter,” Lauer said. “Coming out of the bullpen in long relief was a little bit of a change for me but it was still kind of shaped in the way where I could keep my starter mentality with me. So, yeah, I'm just trying to make sure that I stick in the rotation, honestly. That's what I want to do and that's where I think I can help the team best.”
Lauer allowed a solo home run to Willy Adames and a sacrifice fly to Heliot Ramos on Saturday but that was the extent of the damage by the Giants. The left-hander worked off his effective four-seamer and commanded his pitches well while allowing just two hits over his six frames, walking none and striking out seven. Opponents are hitting just .195 against him this season and the tidy work on Saturday lowered his ERA to an impressive 2.80 across 61 innings.
The Blue Jays’ bottom of the order once again carried the offence with the No. 7-9 hitters — Ernie Clement, Will Wagner and Tyler Heineman — combining to go 5-for-10 while driving in all six runs.
With the Giants leading 2-0 in the bottom of the six, Clement laced an RBI single before Wagner’s two-run double staked the home side to a lead during a four-spot against Webb, one of the best pitchers in the sport. Heineman added a two-run homer off reliever Ryan Walker in the eighth inning.
“That's huge when the bottom of the order can get it done,” Clement said. “It takes a lot of pressure off the top. That's our job.”
The Blue Jays improved to 57-41 and sit atop the American League East, 3.5 games ahead of the Yankees. Berrios will look to complete the three-game sweep over the Giants when he takes the mound against former Blue Jays’ Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray on Sunday.
Lauer says the vibes around the club are reminiscent of what he experienced while pitching for the 2021 Brewers, a team that went 95-67 and finished first in the National League Central.
“It's a very similar feel,” said Lauer. “Every guy we run out there we know is going to do well. And we have all the confidence in the world in every starter, every reliever, everybody we throw out there. So, yeah, I think it's very comparable and I think it's possibly a little better.”
Lauer has been in the thick of that for the Blue Jays. He’s offered stability and also a sense of security as the trade deadline approaches. The Blue Jays will likely try to add pitching help ahead of July 31, yet right now, the club’s decision-makers can operate knowing they have Lauer comfortably in place.
Clement was asked where Lauer ranked among the Blue Jays’ unsung heroes this season.
“One probably,” responded Clement. “What he's been able to do and come in and just give us a chance to win every game, it's invaluable. Tip of the cap to him. He's been probably our unsung MVP so far.”
