LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred left-hander Eric Lauer to the 60-day injured list on Friday, ending his 2026 season in a roster move to clear a 40-man spot for top prospect Josue De Paula. The club also placed Shohei Ohtani on the 15-day injured list in the corresponding active-roster shuffle.
Lauer had been on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation since September 2, one day after allowing seven runs in three innings in his worst start since joining the Dodgers. The move to the 60-day injured list makes him ineligible to pitch in the postseason. Ohtani was placed on the 15-day injured list with right biceps inflammation, which manager Dave Roberts said he aggravated on a swing in Monday's game against the Cincinnati Reds, the only game Ohtani played during an eight-game stretch.
The 31-year-old Lauer was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on May 17 after being designated for assignment by Toronto, with the Jays paying all but $600,000 of his remaining $3.1 million salary. The Dodgers won each of Lauer's first nine appearances with the team, a stretch in which he did not allow more than three runs in any outing. He had two blow-up starts — six runs in four innings on August 5 at Wrigley Field and September 1 at home vs. the Cardinals — but otherwise lasted at least six innings in seven of his 13 outings, including 11 starts.
With the Dodgers, Lauer posted a 4.50 ERA and 4.48 xERA in 72 innings. Combined with his time with the Blue Jays, he finished the season with a 5.23 ERA and 5.03 xERA in 22 games, including 18 starts, with 72 strikeouts and 35 walks in 108 1/3 innings and 26 home runs allowed. Ohtani's IL stint was backdated to Tuesday, making him eligible to be activated as early as Wednesday, September 23, which would leave five regular-season games to prepare for the postseason.