Eric Lauer was struggling with a 6.69 ERA and a 1-5 record earlier this season. The Toronto Blue Jays DFA’d him on May 11 after just eight appearances. Then, he completely flipped the script after the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired him for cash considerations. He has since become one of the key pieces in the Dodgers’ rotation, posting a 5-0 record and a 2.96 ERA. Yet, from the looks of it, things have not panned out as expected, as the 31-year-old finds himself prominently featured in trade rumors.

“Oh, my wife hates it. No, I mean, it’s something that I was aware of coming over here that it might be like a rental thing,” Lauer was quoted by Dodgers insider Fabian Ardaya on X. “I mean, I love it here. I think I’m thriving here, as far as I can tell.”

Lauer signed a one-year, $4.4 million contract with the Blue Jays this season, but since Toronto wasn’t happy with how he was performing, they agreed to send him, along with $2,529,411.76 in cash, to the two-time defending World Series champions.

While Lauer might become an expendable piece with all the A-listers returning to the roster, the Dodgers are no strangers to trading starting pitchers at the deadline. Ardaya noted that they have traded Noah Syndergaard, James Paxton, and Dustin May over the last three years, respectively.

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This year, Shohei Ohtani has been suffering from recurring knee discomfort and biceps irritation. As a result, he has been off his pitching duties since July 3. Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell are on the injured list. Meanwhile, Eric Lauer, along with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, and Justin Wrobleski, has done well to hold the fort for the Dodgers. 

Reportedly, Snell and Glasnow are expected to return in August. The Dodgers have already activated Edwin Diaz, and although manager Dave Roberts mentioned that they are playing it safe with Ohtani, they expect him to return to the mound as soon as he is healthy. 

Coming back to Lauer’s trade speculation, there are multiple contenders interested, and the Cleveland Guardians are among the top of the list. Insiders suggest that they would be willing to swap catcher Bo Naylor with the Dodgers’ starter.

But the Dodgers might be interested in a backup plan, as Eliézer Alfonzo, the secondary catcher, is batting .188 with just a .500 OPS. Then again, Naylor isn’t faring much better either, as he has a .143 batting average.

The Dodgers’ front office and manager Dave Roberts haven’t made any announcement yet, but with the trade buzz increasing and the August 3 deadline approaching, they will have to make a decision soon. On the other hand, Eric Lauer has embraced his responsibilities in Los Angeles, but his future depends on the club’s roster situation.