Dodgers Shift Lauer to Traditional Starting Role

The Los Angeles Dodgers will use left-hander Eric Lauer as a traditional starter beginning Monday in Sacramento. The decision ends the opener arrangement the team had used in his first five outings. Lauer joined the Dodgers after publicly stating he disliked the bulk-relief role he held with the Blue Jays.

In his most recent appearance he followed an opener and threw six scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Roberts challenged Lauer to attack hitters from the first pitch. Lauer posted a 2.54 ERA across four starts and one relief outing with the Dodgers. The team announced the change after Lauer’s strong outing, moving him into the rotation slot previously filled by an opener. >"My challenge was to have that reliever mindset from the outset and be more on the attack." — Dave Roberts