August 23, 2025 2:21 PM : Lauer is expected to start Wednesday's game against Minnesota in Toronto, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
Analysis: With Shane Bieber returning from the 60-day injured list to make his Toronto debut Friday, manager John Schneider indicated Lauer would be moving to a relief role. While Schneider told Mae that Lauer will still be available for a brief appearance out of the bullpen in Saturday's game in Miami, the Blue Jays still plan to have the lefty start at least one more time Wednesday in order to give Bieber extra rest between outings. It's not yet clear if Lauer will handle a full workload in his start next week, nor is it known whether Toronto will opt for a six-man rotation for any additional amount of time as Bieber gets back into a groove as he settles back in following his April 2024 Tommy John surgery.