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The Los Angeles Dodgers figured to have one of the sport’s best starting rotations entering the regular season. While injuries have largely ravaged the unit to this point, the club has recently received strong contributions from an unsung source.
Dodgers starter Dustin May provided seven-plus innings of two-run baseball in Friday night’s 6-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The start began with five perfect innings and matched the longest appearance of what has been an injury-riddled career. LA manager Dave Roberts was candid when asked about how the Texas native has been pitching lately.
“It's great,” Roberts told MLB.com after the game. “And now it doesn't even feel like he missed 18 months or whatever it was. He just feels like he's a guy that's just kind of in a rhythm right now. Not all of them are going to be great, but again, the dependability, the consistency of innings that he's giving us. Every time he goes out there, we have a chance to win. And there's a lot of value with our club.”
May endured Tommy John surgery in 2021 and flexor tendon surgery in 2023. Additionally, he suffered a torn esophagus that kept him sidelined during the Dodgers' 2024 World Series run.
Simply put, the 27-year-old has had to spend a significant amount of time away from the diamond. But, he has been able to remain consistent this season. Across his first 16 starts, May has earned a 4.52 ERA, and is the only rotation member outside of Yoshinobu Yamamoto who has yet to miss a start.
“I’m just trying to live in a three-foot world,” May said. “I've had a lot of ups and downs in my career so far. I don't try to look too far ahead at all. I just try to stay one pitch at a time.”
While his ERA and velocity are not presently sizzling, May’s recent availability offers a major reason to be optimistic. Even if the speed of his pitches do not tick up to his pre-surgery marks, the righty will have ample opportunity to adapt to his current skill set.
