The Blue Jays traded left-hander Eric Lauer and cash to the Dodgers on May 17, 2026, completing a move that had been building all week after Toronto designated him for assignment. Los Angeles cleared the roster space by transferring reliever Brusdar Graterol from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
The deal was announced as a player to be named later or cash considerations swap, though Shi Davidi reported on May 18 that Toronto is sending about $2.5 million to cover most of the roughly $3.1 million left on Lauer’s $4.4 million arbitration salary, while the Dodgers are taking on about $600,000. Davidi also reported the Blue Jays will not receive a player to be named later, leaving cash as the only return.
For Toronto, the move closes the book on a pitcher who helped stabilize the club a year ago and then faded badly in 2026. Lauer posted a 3.18 ERA with a 23.9% strikeout rate and a 6.1% walk rate over 104 2/3 regular-season innings in 2025, then added a 3.12 ERA in 8 2/3 playoff frames. This season has gone in the other direction: he has a 6.69 ERA over 36 1/3 innings in eight outings, and he also battled a bad case of the flu.
The Blue Jays had already rebuilt their rotation over the offseason by signing Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce and Max Scherzer, but injuries have thinned that depth. Toronto’s decision to move on from Lauer now fits that broader shuffle, especially after the earlier DFA signaled he was no longer part of the immediate plan.
Los Angeles is taking the chance because it needs arms. Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell are both on the injured list, and Roki Sasaki’s hold on a starting job has become less secure after a shaky start to the 2026 campaign. The Dodgers have already used roster gymnastics to keep pace, and this one came with an immediate 40-man opening by moving Graterol to the 60-day injured list.
The trade gives Toronto salary relief and gives Los Angeles a low-cost bet on a pitcher who was effective as recently as last fall. It also leaves both clubs with unfinished business: the Blue Jays still have to sort out a rotation that has been thinned by injuries, and the Dodgers still have to find innings while their injured starters work back.
