Left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer, who previously played for the KIA Tigers in the KBO League, earned his first win of the 2026 Major League Baseball season.
Lauer's team, the Toronto Blue Jays, defeated the Athletics 5-2 in a home game at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on Wednesday (Korea time).
Starting on the mound, Lauer pitched 5⅓ innings, allowing three hits, one walk, and two runs while striking out nine batters to earn the win.
Born in 1995, Lauer appeared in seven games for KIA in 2024, posting a 2-2 record with a 4.93 ERA. He started Game 3 of the Korean Series that year against the Samsung Lions, recording eight strikeouts over five innings but giving up two runs and taking the loss.
Lauer made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres in 2018 and later played for the Milwaukee Brewers before joining KIA. He has worn a Toronto uniform since the 2025 season.
After an impressive 2025 campaign in which he went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA, Lauer picked up a satisfying victory in his first start of the year. It was his 45th career regular-season win in the big leagues.
Toronto, which finished as runner-up last year after losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, opened the season on a three-game winning streak. The Blue Jays are set to start Cody Ponce against the Colorado Rockies in a home game on Thursday.
Ponce posted a 17-1 record with a 1.89 ERA for the Hanwha Eagles last season, earning Most Valuable Player honors.