What Happened to Dustin May?
Dustin May is an American professional baseball pitcher whose promising career has been significantly impacted by a series of major injuries, including two elbow surgeries and a life-threatening esophageal tear. After stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for the 2026 season, where he is working to regain his form following a challenging start.
Quick Answer
Dustin May is currently a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, having signed a one-year, $12.5 million contract with a mutual option for 2027 in December 2025. His career has been marked by multiple significant injuries, including Tommy John surgery in 2021, a flexor tendon repair in 2023, and a torn esophagus in 2024. After a 2025 season split between the Dodgers and Red Sox, he's shown a recent turnaround with the Cardinals in early 2026, despite a rocky start, demonstrating improved command and velocity.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline14 events
Drafted by Los Angeles Dodgers
Dustin May was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.
MLB Debut with Los Angeles Dodgers
May made his Major League Baseball debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
World Series Champion
May contributed to the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series victory during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Undergoes Tommy John Surgery
May underwent Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, ending his 2021 season and impacting his 2022 season.
Returns from Tommy John Surgery
Dustin May made his first start for the Dodgers after recovering from Tommy John surgery, pitching five scoreless innings.
Undergoes Flexor Tendon Surgery and Tommy John Revision
May underwent surgery for a flexor tendon in his right elbow and a Tommy John revision for a Grade 2 UCL sprain, ending his 2023 season.
Misses 2024 Season Due to Esophageal Tear
While rehabbing from elbow surgery, May suffered a torn esophagus in a non-baseball incident, requiring surgery and causing him to miss the entire 2024 season.
Returns to MLB with Dodgers
May returned to a major league mound, starting for the Dodgers against the Atlanta Braves.
Traded to Boston Red Sox
The Los Angeles Dodgers traded May to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard.
2025 Season Ends Due to Elbow Neuritis
May's 2025 season with the Red Sox concluded early due to right elbow neuritis.
Signs with St. Louis Cardinals
May signed a one-year, $12.5 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, including a mutual option for the 2027 season.
2026 Season Debut with Cardinals
May made his debut for the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing six runs in four innings against the Rays.
Shows Improvement in Recent Starts
After a rocky start to the 2026 season, May began to turn things around, allowing one run or less in three consecutive starts.
Pitches Against Former Team, Dodgers
May took a loss against his former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing three runs on seven hits over six innings. His season record stood at 3-3 with a 5.15 ERA.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Dustin May, a highly touted right-handed pitcher, began his Major League Baseball career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, making his debut in 2019. He quickly established himself as a key component of their pitching staff, contributing to their 2020 World Series championship. Known for his unique delivery and powerful fastball, May's early career showed immense promise.
However, his career trajectory was significantly altered by a series of severe injuries. In May 2021, May underwent Tommy John surgery to reconstruct a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, sidelining him for the remainder of the 2021 season and most of 2022. He returned in August 2022, but his 2023 season was cut short after just nine starts due to a right flexor pronator strain, which required surgery and a Tommy John revision in July 2023.
The challenges continued into 2024 when May missed the entire season. While recovering from his elbow surgery, he suffered a non-baseball related esophageal tear in July 2024, which required emergency surgery and was described as a near-death experience. This further delayed his return to the mound and impacted his physical condition, leading to significant weight loss.
May made his return to MLB in April 2025 with the Dodgers, pitching in 18 games (17 starts) before being traded to the Boston Red Sox on July 31, 2025. He made six appearances for the Red Sox before his season ended prematurely in early September due to right elbow neuritis. Throughout 2025, his velocity was reportedly down, a consequence of his earlier esophageal injury and subsequent weight loss.
In December 2025, May signed a one-year, $12.5 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, which included a mutual option for the 2027 season. He focused on regaining weight during the offseason, reporting to spring training in 2026 at a healthier 215-220 pounds, aiming to restore his fastball velocity. The 2026 season began with struggles for May, as he posted a high ERA after his first two starts. However, he has since shown a significant turnaround, delivering several quality starts and demonstrating improved command. As of May 3, 2026, May holds a 3-3 record with a 5.15 ERA over 36.2 innings for the Cardinals, indicating a promising recovery and a renewed effort to establish himself as a consistent major league starter.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Dustin May made different choices?