As the Los Angeles Dodgers approached the heart of trade-deadline week, most observers expected the club to prioritize adding pitching. Yet a growing chorus of fans has made it plain to president Andrew Friedman that one of the team’s current arms should stay put.
Eric Lauer strengthened that case on Wednesday night. The left-hander delivered six scoreless innings in a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners, scattering one hit and one walk while striking out four.
The performance lifted the Dodgers to a perfect 9-0 record in the nine games he has appeared in for them since joining the club.
His name had already begun circulating in trade talks ahead of the August 3 deadline. On social media, the response from the fan base was immediate and consistent: keep him.
Lauer’s outing against Seattle did not begin smoothly. He walked one batter, hit another, and needed 24 pitches to navigate the first inning.
After a mound visit from catcher Dalton Rushing, he settled in and allowed only one additional baserunner the rest of the way. He later explained that greater confidence in his changeup and slider has helped keep hitters off balance. He described the changeup as the “holy grail” that completed his arsenal, giving him a pitch that moves away from right-handed batters.
The numbers since his arrival in May are hard to ignore. Lauer is 5-0 with a 2.96 ERA across nine appearances, eight of them starts. An expected ERA of 4.06 hints that some regression may eventually arrive, yet he has worked at least six innings in six of those outings and has never allowed more than three runs in a single game.
Toronto had designated him for assignment after he posted a 6.69 ERA in 36.1 innings. The Dodgers claimed him for cash considerations while Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow were sidelined. What looked like a stopgap measure has turned into one of the more reliable pieces of the rotation.
Reporting from The Athletic indicated that the club could shop both Lauer and outfielder Alex Call once injured players return. Lauer is scheduled to become a free agent after the season, which makes him an obvious sell-high candidate on paper. Fans have pushed back against that logic.
Some have argued the team should simply keep him and shift him to the bullpen once Snell and Glasnow are healthy. Others have joked that there is little need to chase a star pitcher when Lauer is already delivering results.
Those concerns are not without foundation. Snell is nearing a return, but Glasnow still needs to begin a rehab assignment. Shohei Ohtani remains without a clear timetable to resume pitching because of knee and biceps issues. Trading away proven depth before those questions are answered carries real risk.
Lauer himself has left little doubt about his preference. “I love it here,” he said. “I think I’m thriving here, as far as I can tell. And I would love to be part of this team.”
The Dodgers could convert a low-cost acquisition into additional assets before the deadline. Unless the return meaningfully strengthens their October roster, however, holding on to the pitcher who has been attached to nine straight wins may prove the smarter play for a club pursuing a third consecutive World Series title.
