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Eric Lauer has been moved out of the Dodgers’ rotation and into a bullpen role, per DodgerBlue.com. The shift comes as the Dodgers continue reorganizing their pitching staff with several arms nearing returns from injury and the September stretch approaching.

Lauer signed with the Dodgers as a veteran depth option, bringing years of experience as a starter with the Padres and Brewers. He’s been a reliable innings-eater throughout his career, posting a solid stretch with Milwaukee that included a 2022 season where he logged over 150 innings with a sub-4.00 ERA. This year, though, things haven’t gone as smoothly. His results in the rotation have been inconsistent enough that the Dodgers feel his arm is better utilized in shorter stints out of the pen. It’s a pragmatic call — not a punishment, just a reflection of where the roster stands right now.

This move comes on the heels of Justin Wrobleski also being shifted to the bullpen earlier this week. With Tyler Glasnow set for his Tuesday return and Shohei Ohtani‘s pitching debut imminent (potentially as soon as Sunday), the Dodgers simply have more starters than rotation spots. Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and Tarik Skubal are all currently in the mix, and adding Glasnow and Ohtani back means someone has to slide. Lauer drew the short straw.

I actually think this could work well for both sides. Lauer has the kind of arm that can give you two or three quality innings in a middle-relief role — bridge the gap between a short start and the high-leverage guys. The Dodgers bullpen has been leaning heavily on Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips, Tanner Scott, and Edgardo Henriquez, so having another experienced arm available for multi-inning work is a genuine asset.

The bigger picture here is that we’re watching the Dodgers assemble what might be the most stacked pitching staff in baseball history — and the cost of that is making tough calls on guys like Lauer and Wrobleski who’d be rotation fixtures on most other teams. It’s a good problem to have heading into September.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: August 24, 2026 4:34 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers