Left-hander Eric Lauer’s 2026 season is officially over. The Dodgers transferred him to the 60-day injured list Friday, a move that means the 31-year-old lefty won’t be eligible to pitch in the postseason. That wasn’t the only shake-up in Los Angeles, either, as Shohei Ohtani also landed on the 15-day IL, although his return timeline is much shorter.
Lauer’s Unexpected Journey Ends Early
Man, this Lauer news is a gut punch. The 31-year-old lefty arrived in LA on May 17, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays after they designated him for assignment. And get this: the Jays footed almost the entire bill, paying all but $600,000 of his remaining $3.1 million salary for the season. Talk about a potential low-cost, high-reward move for the Dodgers! Early on, it looked like a total steal. The team won each of Lauer’s first nine appearances, and he never allowed more than three runs in any of those outings. He largely did everything asked of him, going at least six innings in seven of his 13 total appearances, which included 11 starts for the club.
But then things took a brutal turn. Lauer had two clear blow-up starts that just wrecked his numbers: six runs in four innings on August 5 at Wrigley Field, and then his absolute worst outing since joining the team, allowing a crushing seven runs in just three innings on September 1 at home against the Cardinals. That disastrous start was followed by him landing on the 15-day IL with left elbow inflammation on September 2. Now, moving him to the 60-day list means his 4.50 ERA and 4.48 xERA in 72 innings with the Dodgers are officially his final stats for 2026. Combining his time with both the Blue Jays and the Dodgers, Lauer finishes the season with a 5.23 ERA and 5.03 xERA across 108 1/3 innings, 22 games, and 18 starts, with 72 strikeouts, 35 walks, and a hefty 26 home runs allowed. Losing an arm like that, especially one that showed flashes of real reliability, for the rest of the season is a major hit.
Ohtani’s Brief Absence and a Top Prospect Call-Up
And as if Lauer’s news wasn’t enough, Shohei Ohtani also landed on the 15-day IL. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Ohtani aggravated some right biceps inflammation on a swing during Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. That particular game was the only one Ohtani had played in an eight-game stretch, which really makes you think this has been bothering him for a minute. The good news for Dodgers faithful is that his IL stint was backdated to Tuesday, meaning Ohtani could be activated as early as Wednesday, September 23. That timeline gives him five crucial regular season games to get his swing dialed back in and fully prepared for the postseason. To make room on the 40-man roster for these moves, the Dodgers called up their top prospect, the phenom Josue De Paula, which is always cool for the future. But the immediate reality is losing Lauer for good and a brief, but impactful, Ohtani absence. Every arm matters now.
So, that’s the latest from LA. Lauer’s 2026 campaign is done, marking an unfortunate end to what began as a promising, low-cost acquisition. For the Dodgers, it means they’ll be without a veteran arm they’d come to rely on at times. Ohtani’s return is on the horizon, giving him just five regular season games to shake off any rust and fully gear up. You just gotta hope that bicep inflammation doesn’t linger or impact his power. It’s a tough double blow for the pitching staff, making the road ahead that much more challenging for the team.
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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