The Los Angeles Dodgers had arguably the best rotation in baseball through the first month of the 2021 MLB season. But that rotation might be taking a major hit.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported right-hander Dustin May has UCL damage in his right elbow. The team will make a determination regarding a course of action in the next 24 hours, but that kind of injury usually comes with a likelihood of Tommy John surgery.
Source: Dustin May has some UCL damage in his right elbow, according to initial examination. #Dodgers will make official decision on how to proceed in the next 24 hours. Difficult news. We will have coverage today on @MLBNetwork. @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) May 3, 2021
May was making a regularly scheduled start Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers when he felt discomfort in his throwing arm.
The 23-year-old immediately signaled to the bench after throwing a fastball to Brewers outfielder Billy McKinney. He was pulled from the contest after just 27 pitches, with manager Dave Roberts saying May felt “kind of a shooting sensation,” per ESPN.
This is truly brutal news for the Dodgers.
May had displayed dominant stuff in his first four outings, including an April 25 gem against the San Diego Padres in which he allowed just two hits and one run in six innings, striking out 10 in the process. The hard-throwing Texan ranked third among all starters (min. 20 IP) in xFIP and also ranked fourth in skill-interactive ERA (SIERA).
Los Angeles will be without its best young arms for the foreseeable future. The Dodgers have some rotation depth, with Tony Gonsolin and David Price available as starters. But both guys are currently on the injured list. Roberts will likely have to plug-and-play in the meantime.
For now, though, the Dodgers and May will assess their options. The outlook is not exactly rosy.
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