Eric Lauer was slow to emerge from the dugout for the start of the fourth inning on Monday night.
When he did, he was wearing new spikes.
“My cleats blew out,” he said. “I had to change my cleats.”
Again, Lauer was slightly tardy as the fifth began. This time, when he took the field it was in an entirely new uniform.
The 24-year-old left-hander has been struggling to grip his breaking pitches for a good portion of his past seven starts, especially Aug. 19 in Cincinnati and Monday night.
“I finally said, ‘Screw this.