Spring Training offers a new opportunity for veteran pitchers who want to prove they can still contribute to a team's success. When Dustin May signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, that was the goal, as the veteran pitcher looks to help his new teammate. In an interview on Foul Territory, one of May's ex-Dodgers teammates spoke highly about him, stating that he was fearless and would bounce back with his new team.
"He's fearless. He's one who, if you tell him he can't do this, he'll try to achieve anything he can."
Joe Kelly believes his former teammate, Dustin May, can bounce back with the Cardinals. pic.twitter.com/9oAYGGT6y2
— Cardinal Territory (@CardTerritory) February 26, 2026
Joe Kelly, who played with the 2023 and 2024 seasons, discussed May's signing with the Cards and what he can bring. Additionally, he called him fearless, indicating that he had a quiet energy that helped motivate him. Kelly also revealed that the delivery seemed smoother than before.
May will start with the Cardinals this season, and hopes to pitch well. His troubles with staying healthy began in 2023, when he went just 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA over nine starts for the Dodgers. Then, he missed the entire 2024 season when he had to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow. May also had a severe esophageal tear that he needed to fix with emergency surgery. After returning last season, May was not the same.
The Dodgers traded May to the Boston Red Sox, ending a tenure that spanned nearly a decade. He went 7-11 with a 4.96 ERA in 25 combined appearances for the Dodgers and Red Sox. But again, he went on the injured list, this time with right elbow neuritis.
May looks healthy so far as he attempts to start a new chapter of his career with the Cardinals. The verdict is still out on how that will go, but he has something to prove and will look to take the Cards as far as he can go.
