He said it calmly. Clearly. Without hesitation.
But inside the Blue Jays’ clubhouse, Eric Lauer’s words landed like a warning shot.
As Eric Lauer Declares “Starter Is What’s Best for Me,” Blue Jays Face Rotation Tension That Could Reshape 2026
TORONTO — The Blue Jays thought they entered Spring Training with clarity.
After pushing the 2025 season all the way to a dramatic Game 7 of the World Series, most of Toronto’s roster questions seemed settled. The core is intact. The expectations are sky-high.
But one issue is quietly brewing — and it could define the tone of the entire pitching staff.
Eric Lauer doesn’t want to float between roles anymore.
“Being able to lock in mentally and physically as a starter is what’s best for me,” Lauer said after starting Toronto’s Grapefruit League opener. “It’s what I normally do. It’s how I normally prepare.”
That wasn’t just preference.
It was positioning.
A Breakthrough Season — With Frustration Attached
Lauer, 30, delivered arguably the best season of his MLB career in 2025. In his first year with Toronto after pitching in Korea in 2024, he posted a career-best 3.18 ERA across 28 appearances (15 starts).
When injuries hit the rotation last summer — Max Scherzer sidelined, Bowden Francis unavailable — Lauer stabilized everything.
From June 11 to August 27, he made 13 starts. The Blue Jays went 11-2 in those games. He allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of them. He went 6-1.
Utility man Ernie Clement even called him the club’s “unsung MVP.”
And then?
When Scherzer returned and trade deadline acquisition Shane Bieber was ready, Lauer was sent back to the bullpen.
Again.
“The whole bouncing back and forth thing last year kind of hurt me,” Lauer admitted. “Not physically, but in my standing.”
That standing became financial.
Arbitration Fallout Still Lingers
Despite his success, Lauer lost his arbitration case this winter. The Blue Jays filed at $4.4 million. Lauer filed at $5.75 million.
He believes the bullpen finish cost him.
Long relievers don’t get paid like starters.
“The fact I ended the year in the bullpen was probably what lost me my case,” he said bluntly.
Now, with free agency looming after 2026, the stakes are clear. Role equals value. Value equals leverage.
And leverage determines the next contract.
The Rotation Math Is Brutal
On paper, the Blue Jays’ rotation is crowded:
- Kevin Gausman
- Trey Yesavage (2025 breakout star)
- José Berríos
- Dylan Cease (free-agent addition)
- Cody Ponce (free-agent addition)
Shane Bieber is expected back after early-season forearm fatigue. Rumors of a potential Scherzer reunion continue to swirl.
That leaves Lauer fighting uphill.
Manager John Schneider has taken a diplomatic tone.
“He’s going into this saying he wants to be one of the starters,” Schneider said. “We’re all ready to pivot, but this will be a normal starter’s spring for him.”
Translation: Stay ready. Stay flexible.
But flexibility doesn’t always align with future earning power.
A Quiet Crossroads for Toronto
This isn’t just about one pitcher’s preference.
It’s about identity.
The Blue Jays are built to contend now. Depth is a luxury. Having a pitcher who can start or dominate in long relief is valuable — especially over 162 games where injuries are inevitable.
Schneider acknowledged that.
“To have that option is great,” he said. “It’s really beneficial.”
But beneficial for the team may not mean optimal for Lauer.
And tension like this doesn’t disappear — it simmers.
The Bigger Picture
It’s rare for a rotation to survive an entire season untouched. Someone always gets hurt. Someone always struggles. That reality favors Lauer’s patience.
“The way the game has evolved, it’s good to have as many starters as you possibly can built up,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”
He’s right.
But the Blue Jays now face a delicate decision:
- Commit to Lauer as a starter and risk reshuffling a high-priced rotation.
- Keep him as elite depth and risk dissatisfaction in a contract year.
For a team chasing a championship, internal harmony matters. So does maximizing assets.
Eric Lauer has made his stance clear.
Now the Blue Jays must decide whether to reward performance — or protect structure.
Because this isn’t just a Spring Training storyline.
It’s a decision that could reshape Toronto’s 2026 rotation — and possibly its future payroll picture.
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