The rotation for the Los Angeles Dodgers could be a revolving door through the remainder of the regular season.
How long veteran left-hander Eric Lauer can maintain his spot is one of the key question marks.
Lauer will get his next opportunity to audition for a longer-term starting role when he takes the mound on Wednesday afternoon in the finale of the three-game series against the host Chicago Cubs.
It’s a big game for Los Angeles, which has lost a season-high five in a row.
“I don’t know the answer of what’s got to give, but we’ve got to find a way to win a ballgame,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said following a 5-1 loss to the Cubs on Tuesday night.
After the Dodgers acquired reigning two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, Lauer and outfielder Alex Call were rumored to be on the trading block heading into Monday’s deadline, but neither left town.
Lauer (6-5, 4.50 ERA) definitely helped his cause since he was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on May 17 for cash considerations, going 5-0 with a 2.96 ERA in his first nine appearances with the Dodgers, including eight starts.
“I really give our front office a lot of credit, just kind of talking to those guys consistently and getting a grasp on their wishes,” Roberts said following Monday’s trade deadline.
Even though he wasn’t traded, it was still possible Lauer would be redirected to the bullpen, but after Emmet Sheehan struggled through another poor outing in an 8-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, he was demoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Justin Wrobleski, who had an All-Star first half, then raised red flags when he gave up four home runs for the second straight start in a 10-5 loss to the Cubs on Monday.
The Dodgers have reinforcements on the way, however.
Another two-time Cy Young Award winner, left-hander Blake Snell, made his final rehab start on Tuesday with Oklahoma City following surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow. In 3 2/3 innings, he allowed three runs, five hits — including two home runs — walked four and struck out three over 73 pitches.
Tyler Glasnow, another key piece of the rotation, had his first rehab assignment on Tuesday in his return from a back injury. Pitching for Class-A Ontario, he threw 16 pitches in two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one.
In the meantime, the Dodgers will rely on Lauer, who has made 10 appearances against the Cubs in his career, including nine starts, and is 3-2 with a 5.67 ERA.
Right-hander Shota Imanaga is scheduled to start for the Cubs, who are 11-7 since the All-Star break and haven’t lost back-to-back games in that span.
Chicago’s win on Tuesday maintained its four-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies for the first wild card in the NL.
Imanaga (7-9, 3.67) had a 1.53 ERA in five starts in July, but went just 2-3.
He allowed two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings last Friday against the New York Yankees, but took the loss in a 2-0 defeat. Imanaga did not allow a run in his previous two outings covering 13 innings.
“He’s been fantastic,” Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said of Imanaga. “It’s been fun to watch. Not enough run support for him (against the Yankees), but he was fantastic.”
Imanaga is 1-1 in five career starts against the Dodgers with a 4.15 ERA.
–Field Level Media
