Blue Jays manager John Schneider bats away pitcher's complaints about opener: 'Above his pay grade'

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Eric Lauer doesn’t like pitching behind an opener. Blue Jays manager John Schneider doesn’t appear to be losing sleep over it.

A minor drama hit the Blue Jays clubhouse Friday when Lauer, a veteran southpaw who has mostly started in his MLB career, openly complained about being asked to serve as the bulk guy behind an opener.

His words, via Mitch Bannon of The Athletic:

"It's definitely different. To be really blunt, I hate it. I can't stand it. You work with what you got. Part of it, too, we're trying to mix some things up. We're trying to find ways to win. It's a gameplan we had and I think we went out there and tried to execute it the best we could. That's really all you can do."

"You can make it work the best you can. It's just, hopefully it's not something that we will continue doing. But you know, that's above my pay grade."

One day later, Schneider confirmed he agreed with Lauer on one thing, that the matter is above his pay grade. He also didn’t seem to appreciate Lauer airing his grievances with the media rather than behind closed doors:

"I respect everyone's opinion. I know the end of his quote was 'it's above my pay grade, and it definitely is above his pay grade as to how we use him. We're trying to win; you know what I mean? My job is to put him in spots to try to have success. That's what I try to do. He's aware of that. He gets that. I think that anyone who's been bounced around a little bit, he wants to start. I get it. He's on board with us, just trying to win and go out and execute until we take the ball from the big fella and do it again the next time.

"It's just reminding guys, if you don't like your role, come talk to me. Come talk to Pete. That goes for everybody. It's you don't like when I take you out as a starter. All right, come talk to me. Don't tell you guys (reporters). Come tell me. So that was it, basically it was quick. I think the message was, like, you pitch, I decide."

Lauer made three starts before Friday, in which he allowed 11 earned runs while striking out 12 and walking nine in 12 2/3 innings of work. With the opener, he allowed three earned runs in five innings in a 6-3 loss to the .