[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young] Eric Lauer, who pitched for the KIA Tigers in 2024, delivered a steady outing and helped Toronto open the season with a three-game winning streak.
On the 30th (Korea Standard Time), Lauer took the mound for the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto against the Oakland Athletics in a 2026 MLB regular-season home game. He worked 5 1/3 innings, allowed three hits (one home run), one walk, struck out nine and surrendered two runs to earn his first win of the season.
Lauer is familiar to Korean baseball fans. He made his KBO debut in August 2024 as KIA’s replacement foreign pitcher.
In a KIA uniform, he appeared in seven regular-season games, going 2-2 with a 4.93 ERA.
In Game 3 of the Korean Series against the Samsung Lions he started and went five innings, allowing seven hits (two homers) with eight strikeouts and two runs, and took the loss. Still, KIA won the championship and he earned a ring.
Lauer did not re-sign with KIA and signed a minor-league deal with Toronto ahead of last season. He began 2025 in Triple-A, appearing in five games and going 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA before joining the major-league club in May.
Last season he made 28 appearances, posting a 9-2 record with a 3.18 ERA, and he got off to a strong start this year by earning the win in his first start.
Lauer retired the side in order to open the game. In the top of the first, he struck out Rengelius, Kurz and Rooker to wrap the inning quickly.
He kept the momentum in the second. He retired leadoff Soderstrom on a flyout to center, struck out Wilson swinging and induced Muncy into a lineout to right, completing a perfect frame.
Lauer retired the side again in the third to maintain the rhythm. In the fourth, he struck out leadoff Rengelius, then issued a walk to Kurz for the first baserunner. He escaped by getting Rooker to fly out to center and striking out Soderstrom on three pitches.
He allowed his first runs in the fifth. After Wilson opened the inning with a double into left-center, Muncy followed with a two-run homer to right-center, accounting for both runs.
In the sixth, with one out, Kurz singled up the middle and Lauer was replaced by Fisher to end his outing.
Toronto beat the Athletics 5-2.
With the victory, Toronto improved to 3-0 to start the season and sits tied with the New York Yankees atop the American League East.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
“Closest, most entertaining news ⓒ Sports Today”
On the 30th (Korea Standard Time), Lauer took the mound for the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto against the Oakland Athletics in a 2026 MLB regular-season home game. He worked 5 1/3 innings, allowed three hits (one home run), one walk, struck out nine and surrendered two runs to earn his first win of the season.
Lauer is familiar to Korean baseball fans. He made his KBO debut in August 2024 as KIA’s replacement foreign pitcher.
In a KIA uniform, he appeared in seven regular-season games, going 2-2 with a 4.93 ERA.
In Game 3 of the Korean Series against the Samsung Lions he started and went five innings, allowing seven hits (two homers) with eight strikeouts and two runs, and took the loss. Still, KIA won the championship and he earned a ring.
Lauer did not re-sign with KIA and signed a minor-league deal with Toronto ahead of last season. He began 2025 in Triple-A, appearing in five games and going 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA before joining the major-league club in May.
Last season he made 28 appearances, posting a 9-2 record with a 3.18 ERA, and he got off to a strong start this year by earning the win in his first start.
Lauer retired the side in order to open the game. In the top of the first, he struck out Rengelius, Kurz and Rooker to wrap the inning quickly.
He kept the momentum in the second. He retired leadoff Soderstrom on a flyout to center, struck out Wilson swinging and induced Muncy into a lineout to right, completing a perfect frame.
Lauer retired the side again in the third to maintain the rhythm. In the fourth, he struck out leadoff Rengelius, then issued a walk to Kurz for the first baserunner. He escaped by getting Rooker to fly out to center and striking out Soderstrom on three pitches.
He allowed his first runs in the fifth. After Wilson opened the inning with a double into left-center, Muncy followed with a two-run homer to right-center, accounting for both runs.
In the sixth, with one out, Kurz singled up the middle and Lauer was replaced by Fisher to end his outing.
Toronto beat the Athletics 5-2.
With the victory, Toronto improved to 3-0 to start the season and sits tied with the New York Yankees atop the American League East.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
“Closest, most entertaining news ⓒ Sports Today”
