Pitcher Eric Lauer DFAed, outfielder Addison Barger returns to Blue Jays’ IL

TORONTO — Aspiring starting pitcher Eric Lauer won’t have to worry about openers playing ahead of him anymore.

Lauer was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Monday, a day after falling to 1-5 with a 6.69 earned-run average in Toronto’s 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Lauer had told media on April 17 that he hated being a long reliever following another relief pitcher taking the mound in the first inning.

Spencer Miles pitched three innings followed by an inning of work by Tommy Nance before Lauer took the mound for five innings. Lauer said he didn’t think he was a “shoe in” for a rotation spot after he gave up six runs to take the loss.

“Being a starter is kind of what I’ve always thought I could do to help the team the most but if it’s coming out of the bullpen, it’s coming out of the bullpen,” said Lauer in a post-game media scrum. “It’s just throwing quality innings from the get-go, and that’s what I’m focused on.”

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that he and Lauer had talked over the pitcher’s comments about not being a starter in mid-April and that Monday’s decision was just about the left-hander’s ongoing struggles on the mound.

“A tough, tough conversation, because of what he did last year and things like that,” said Schneider, referring to Lauer’s career-best 3.18 ERA and 102 strikeouts over 104 2/3 innings, including 15 starts, in 2025.

“I know it was kind of back and forth with him this year, ‘pen, starting and we just felt like we needed to go in a different direction. That was it.”

Toronto also placed third baseman/outfielder Addison Barger on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation ahead of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The move was retroactive to Sunday, one day after Barger returned from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him for 29 games.

Schneider said Sunday that Barger woke up with limited range of motion after making a strong throw from right field in Saturday’s 14-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Schneider said Barger got a cortisone shot in his elbow on Monday.

“He had an MRI, nothing structural, with ligament or loose bodies or anything of that kind in the joint,” said Schneider. “Hopefully he’ll be down from throwing activity for three, four days, and then hopefully it clears up.

“Hopefully it’s a short stint (on the IL) it sucks he had one game back and then back on.”

The Blue Jays recalled outfielder Yohendrick Pinango from Triple-A Buffalo and added right-handed pitcher Yariel Rodríguez to the major-league roster in corresponding moves. Toronto opened a three-game series against Tampa Bay on Monday at Rogers Centre.


Schneider had a litany of injury updates for the Blue Jays’ crowded IL.

Starting pitcher Shane Bieber (elbow) will throw to live hitters on Tuesday, outfielder Nathan Lukes (hamstring strain) will be running the bases by the end of the week and ideally get into some single-A games over the weekend.

Reliever Yimi Garcia (elbow surgery) was more sore than usual after a rehab appearance with the single-A Florida Complex League Blue Jays on Thursday, so Schneider said his next outing will be pushed a couple of days. Catcher Alejandro Kirk (fractured thumb) has been swinging off a tee.

Veteran starting pitcher Max Scherzer, who is on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation, will also get a cortisone injection into his right thumb.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press