Yo, Dodgers fans, you gotta give it up for Eric Lauer. This dude, out of nowhere it felt like, straight up led his team to a win in each of his first nine starts this year. We’re talking an ERA under 3.00 through that entire stretch. That’s not just good, that’s clutch in a way that probably saved their whole playoff bye hunt.
The Injury Lifeline
Let’s be real, a dominant team like the Dodgers, they thrive on being able to adapt. It’s all about navigating through roster changes and, especially for a cautious squad like them, handling those brutal injuries. And oh boy, did they have them this year. When Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow went down, as they seem to do every regular season, the team had to hit the market early for a veteran presence. That’s where Lauer, the former Brewer, stepped in. He wasn’t just there to fill a spot with league-average numbers, the guy put in serious work with the Dodgers’ pitching staff, made some adjustments, and then just *dealt*.
Beyond The Box Score
His initial run? Unbelievable. Nine straight wins. An ERA under 3.00. You could argue, no scratch that, it’s no stretch to say their whole chase for a playoff bye would be a pressure cooker right now if Lauer hadn’t been so timely. Yeah, his final line, a 4.50 ERA across 12 games, looks way worse thanks to a couple of absolute blow-ups against some NL Central teams. But his impact through most of that period was undeniable. This isn’t about some prospect like Justin Wrobleski who’ll morph into a postseason role. This is pure, unadulterated regular-season heroics. Lauer served a very specific, very much-needed purpose, even if he ended the season on the injured list and wasn’t gonna be pitching in October outside of garbage time. He was doing a job, and he did it.
Lauer was the best example this year of what makes a team truly successful: having those productive but unceremoniously overlooked starters who just get the job done when it matters most in the grind of the regular season. This season’s rotation issues, believe it or not, were apparently a cakewalk compared to what they faced a year ago. It really shows how vital these specific-purpose pitchers are.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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