DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Toronto Blue Jays began their spring training games with a Grapefruit League opener that energized left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer as he stepped onto the mound Saturday for the 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. After months of practice, Lauer embraced the chance to compete in a live setting, describing a surge of excitement during his clean inning of work that reflected his passion for the game.
Despite allowing just one hit and striking out a batter, Lauer admitted he felt restless on the mound, joking about his legs shaking from anticipation.
“I was kind of laughing when I came off. My legs just kept shaking — I was just too excited. You finally get back to what we do all year, finally get out there, you can compete and you just get a little overexcited and you’ve got to get your legs back under you. Towards the end there, I was able to get back under control.”
This physical restlessness, which he dubs “restless leg syndrome,” is something he experiences at times throughout the season and views it as a sign the game still means a great deal to him.
“Fun because having that anxiety means it still matters to you.”
The Significance of This Spring for Lauer’s Role and Future
For the 30-year-old pitcher, this spring training carries extra weight as he approaches free agency at the season’s end. How he is utilized by the Blue Jays and performs this season will influence his market value. Last year, Lauer proved his value as a versatile swingman by making 15 important starts early in the year before shifting to the bullpen late in the season, prioritizing the team’s needs over his own role.
Now, he is attempting to return to a regular starting position even as the Blue Jays’ rotation remains crowded, especially while Shane Bieber works through a delayed recovery program. The team has yet to finalize Lauer’s exact place in the pitching staff.
Lauer expressed a strong preference for returning to a consistent starting role, believing it best suits his preparation and mindset.
“Being able to lock in mentally and physically as a starter is what’s best for me, just because it’s what I normally do, it’s how I normally prepare, I know where I’m supposed to be at certain times,”
“The whole bouncing back and forth in last year kind of hurt me in the long run, not physically, but in my standing, I guess. I’d really like to perform and do what I did last year, show that I can start and hopefully maintain starting.”
How Last Season’s Bullpen Role Affected Lauer’s Arbitration Outcome
Lauer’s reference to his “standing” relates directly to the recent arbitration hearing where the panel sided with the Blue Jays, awarding him $4.4 million, below his requested $5.75 million. This decision lowered his previous salary of $5.075 million and was a rare instance of a player returning to a system receiving a pay cut.
Lauer attributed the arbitration loss to his late-season bullpen role, thinking it diminished his case in a salary-setting system focused on comparable player data rather than overall contributions.
“The fact that I ended the year in the bullpen is probably what lost me my case.”
His willingness to switch roles for the team’s benefit appears to have come at a personal financial cost, highlighting potential flaws in how arbitration values player performance.
Looking ahead, free agency will offer a different evaluation landscape, one focused more on projected performance and specific team needs where starting pitchers remain in high demand. For Lauer, strong spring outings will be the key to securing a more defined role, whether with Toronto or elsewhere.
Blue Jays Management’s Intentions for Lauer’s Workload
Blue Jays manager John Schneider outlined the team’s plans to prepare Lauer as a traditional starter by gradually increasing his pitch count through spring camp. Schneider emphasized the value of Lauer’s flexibility but confirmed a goal of reaching a starter’s workload by the end of camp.
“We’ve told and him he knows that we want to stretch him out like a traditional starter and to have that option is great, knowing that he can be a little bit flexible,”
“We know that’s really, really beneficial and any club would say that. But we want to get him up to a normal starter workload. If we can get up to like 75 pitches by the end of camp, that’s what we’re shooting for, and if we have to adjust, we adjust.”
“He’s going into this saying I want to be one of the starters and if that’s the case, that’s the case. And if it’s not, we’re all ready to pivot.”
With one inning completed under this approach, Lauer has begun the process of establishing himself as a contender for a rotation spot this season.
Kazuma Okamoto Makes His Spring Debut Amid Transition
Kazuma Okamoto joined the Blue Jays’ camp fresh from World Baseball Classic obligations and debuted Saturday in Florida’s Grapefruit League. Though he went 0-for-2 at the plate, Okamoto’s defensive skills were on display with an impressive play at third base, quickly scooping and throwing out a weak grounder by Rafael Marchan.
Manager Schneider praised Okamoto’s athleticism and instincts.
“He’s got a good clock, he’s really got good hands, athletic play, like what I saw.”
Okamoto, who signed a four-year, $60 million contract this offseason after starring in Japan’s Yomiuri Giants organization, is in the midst of adjusting to North American baseball. His transition includes extensive mentoring by veterans Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer, who have provided support both on defense and at the plate.
“They’ve been talking a lot about not just fielding but hitting and baserunning as well,”
“It’s good to get a lot of advice from them.”
Okamoto’s early start with the Blue Jays hints at a promising future as he balances integration into a new league with international competition at the WBC.
Tyler Rogers Shows Consistency and Durability in Relief Role
Reliever Tyler Rogers, who leads all major league relievers since 2020 with 403 appearances and over 406 innings pitched, took the mound in the Blue Jays’ opener for a clean second inning. His outing featured four groundballs with exit velocities ranging from 82.1 to 86.7 mph, demonstrating his control and effectiveness.
Schneider shared an anecdote about Rogers’ usual workload and praised his approach to pitching.
“I was joking with him after he came out, I said, ‘About 75 of those this year,’ and he said, ‘No, probably more,'”
“He’s got a good plan. He’s been doing it for a long time. And that was kind of like the perfect inning for him, 17 pitches, a couple groundballs. He’s been built up for this and this is his normal spring.”
The Blue Jays rewarded Rogers with a guaranteed $37 million, three-year contract, confident his unique submarine delivery enhances bullpen options. Schneider noted the skill Rogers possesses in managing effort and availability.
“He’s got a really good idea of how to keep himself available. It’s not max effort,”
“I know we talk about it, you think guys that throw like that are always available, but you’ve got to monitor them. But he’s at the point in his career where he knows how to step on the gas or back off. It’s a manager’s dream, really, when you have a funky look that you can kind of count on every day.”
Adam Macko Impresses in First Grapefruit League Appearance
Adam Macko, a Canadian lefty, made his first spring training appearance for the Blue Jays after recovering from last year’s knee surgery. Over two innings, Macko reached a top velocity of 97.4 mph and delivered a composed outing focused on execution rather than results.
Reflecting on his first game back, Macko expressed satisfaction with his performance and awareness of the season’s demands.
“Felt good, felt composed. Wasn’t really focused too much on the results, wanted to be in the zone and get a good first outing in.”
“It is still very early, so I do want to be conscious of that and be aware of how long the season is,”
“That is definitely a good sign that it’s in there. And I’m expecting there to still be some ups and downs with velo as it is with any ramp-up. But if it’s there, I’m very happy about it and it shows the work I put in this off-season was put in the right spots.”
Macko’s trajectory this spring will likely impact his role with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic and his future contributions to the Blue Jays.
Lauer Reflects on Last Year’s World Series Run and Motivation Moving Forward
Eric Lauer reflected on the highs and lows of the previous season, which saw the Blue Jays reach the World Series and fall just short in Game 7. His comments expressed a blend of pride in the team’s achievements and a competitive desire to improve.
“It’s kind of back and forth. You like that we finished in a good spot, but it still really hurts not getting that last one. There’s a little extra drive to not let that happen again, but at the same time, you’ve got to be proud of what we did last year. You’ve got to soak up the good things that we did and the good season we had overall. But then also having that little chip on your shoulder, knowing we’ve got to do a little bit better, we’ve to got get a little better every day and keep rolling with that.”
As spring training continues, the Blue Jays and their pitchers including Lauer aim to build on last season’s momentum, balancing individual goals with the team’s ambition to contend once more.
