Overview
- Manager John Schneider later defended using an opener, saying how the team uses Eric Lauer is above his pay grade and that the goal is to win.
- Toronto used reliever Braydon Fisher to open Friday at Chase Field, and Lauer followed with five innings and three earned runs in a 6-3 loss to the Diamondbacks after Fisher’s scoreless first.
- After the game, Lauer said “To be real blunt, I hate it” and argued the plan disrupted his routine because starting pitchers rely on a set warm-up and timing.
- The Blue Jays are 7-13 with multiple injuries across the roster, and the staff has been testing openers and bulk roles to cover innings and seek better matchups.
- An opener is a one-inning reliever used to face the top of the order, a tactic that can upend a starter’s rhythm and cut chances to log starts and wins that often shape future contracts.