Midview grad Eric Lauer getting fresh start with Dodgers

SAN DIEGO — Pitcher Eric Lauer added just $600,001 to the Los Angeles Dodgers' pricey payroll. Los Angeles acquired the 30-year-old left-hander from Toronto on Sunday for $1. As part of the swap, the Blue Jays agreed to send the Dodgers $2,529,411.76. Lauer lost to the Blue Jays in arbitration last winter and has a $4.4 million salary, of which he was owed $3,129,411.76 at the time of the trade. Toronto will send the Dodgers $529,411.76 on May 31 and $1 million each on July 31 and Sept. 30. Los Angeles started the season with a $323 million payroll, second to the New York Mets' $358 million. Lauer expressed gratitude to land with the back-to-back World Series champions when he joined the team at Petco Park on Tuesday night ahead of the second game in their series with the Padres. "I think a change of scenery is good for everybody every once in a while," Lauer said. "There's a few mechanical things that I definitely want to work on, and that they've already kind of thrown out there as possibilities, so I think there's a few different things that we can mess around with, try and tinker with a little bit. But hopefully it all works. I'm here to help the team win in any way I can. ... I think you really couldn't ask for a better landing spot." Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said they intend to use Lauer in their injury-plagued rotation for now, with his first start likely to be May 26 against Colorado. Lauer also could be available out of the bullpen behind Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday in San Diego, and he could eventually transition to a relief role if Tyler Glasnow and prospect River Ryan join the rotation. Lauer was designated for assignment by Toronto last week after going 1-5 with a 6.69 ERA in eight appearances, including six starts. But the Dodgers have compelling memories of Lauer's talent after he made two scoreless appearances against them in last year's World Series, including 4 2/3 impressive innings during Los Angeles' 18-inning victory in Game 3. Dodgers reliever Will Klein won that game with four scoreless innings, and Klein was one of the first players Lauer met in the Dodgers' clubhouse Tuesday. "I was like, 'All right, I know you,'" Lauer said with a grin. Lauer also is excited to be reunited with Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior, who was the Padres' minor league pitching coordinator when Lauer was drafted by the club in 2016. Lauer spent his first two major league seasons in San Diego's rotation before getting traded to the Brewers in November 2019. "We definitely have a history, and he's shared things with me that he thinks will help me," Lauer said. "I think he knows me pretty well. I'm not 22 anymore, but I think he still has a good grasp on what makes me good and what would make me better." Lauer is 46-44 with a 4.26 ERA in eight major league seasons with San Diego (2018-19), Milwaukee (2020-23) and Toronto (2025-26). After spending the early part of 2024 with Pittsburgh's and Houston's Triple-A teams, he pitched in South Korea for the Kia Tigers. The Dodgers sent right-hander Wyatt Mills back to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room for Lauer on the big league roster.