Reports: Cardinals sign one-year deal with starting pitcher
With opportunities abundant and an acute need for veteran support in the starting rotation, the St. Louis Cardinals have reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with right-hander Dustin May, according to multiple media reports, including Jeff Passan of ESPN.
May, 28, was once among the top pitching prospects in baseball before enduring a series of injuries while with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including Tommy John surgery in both 2021 and 2023 and a freak incident during arm surgery recovery in 2024 that resulted in a torn esophagus.
He made just 20 starts over the four seasons from 2021 through 2024, but completed 132 1/3 innings over 25 appearances (23 starts) for the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox last season.
The Dodgers traded him to the Red Sox at the deadline as they refreshed their roster and were faced with a surplus of pitchers, leaving no room for the 6-foot-6, carrot-topped hurler, who finished the year with a 7-11 combined record.
His strikeout rate returned to its historical norms as he stayed healthy throughout the 2025 season, though an accompanying increase in walk rate contributed to an inflated 4.96 ERA, which was slightly worse than his 4.88 fielding independent pitching mark. Some of that increase was likely an inevitable consequence of so much time spent away from the big-league mound, as well as adjustments made to his repertoire during his injury recoveries.
In 2020, his last season at full health prior to 2025, May threw his sinker more than half the time, accounting for 51.4% of his pitches. That number dropped to 33.3% in 2025, paired with an increased use of both his slider and four-seam fastball. Most of his pitches clocked at least three miles per hour below his healthy historical averages, suggesting either a higher performance ceiling remains for May, or his injuries have significantly altered his abilities and pitching style.
In St. Louis, he joins Matthew Liberatore and Michael McGreevy as presumed incumbents in the starting rotation. Kyle Leahy is also expected to be stretched out as a starter and projected to earn a rotation spot, leaving Richard Fitts, Andre Pallante and any other outside options to compete for the final place among the five starters.
As the Cardinals have explored trades involving some of their veteran hitters, there has been a consistent need for additional stable, secure innings to supplement the rotation. President of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said last month, following the trade of Sonny Gray to Boston, that the team was eager “to make sure that we have the right insulation up and down that rotation.
“We want to create some competition,” he said. “We want to make sure that we have options and that we allow our young guys to flourish, while also making sure that that next wave that we hope is coming doesn’t get pressed into service before it’s their time.”
On a one-year deal, May offers some of that insulation, while also putting himself in a position to make consistent starts and rebuild his value ahead of potentially re-entering free agency next winter. The Cardinals, meanwhile, could find themselves in position to trade remaining veterans at this summer’s deadline, with a strong performance from May potentially yielding additional assets for the future.
His addition helps fortify the rotation but does not mean work among that group is finished. As the Cardinals continue to weigh trade talks regarding such players as Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan, as well as left-handed reliever JoJo Romero, they are still seeking starters at advanced levels who may soon make the leap to full-time duty in the majors.
Adding May does not rule out that possibility, but rather enhances it. Even at just 28, May may be the most experienced pitcher among the rebuilding St. Louis rotation next summer, and with a strong showing, could provide enough roster support to develop other new additions at the proper pace.
