Cardinals Starter Sends 3-Word Message On Return To Dodgers Form

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 18: Dustin May #85 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after retiring the side against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning in Game Seven of the National League Championship Series at Globe Life Field on October 18, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

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The St. Louis Cardinals entered the season hoping that a series of low-risk additions could stabilize their pitching staff and help a young core develop while winning some games.

And few of the team’s offseason moves have paid off more than the addition of former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Dustin May.

After a difficult finish to his brief time with the Boston Red Sox, and years of injury setbacks with the Dodgers before that, May has quietly emerged as one of the Cardinals' most reliable starters. His latest outing offered another reminder of why he was once considered one of baseball's most intriguing young arms with the Dodgers.

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St. Louis Cardinals’ Dustin May Sends Message About Return To Los Angeles Dodgers Form

In a recent game against the New York Mets, May delivered six scoreless innings with just one walk and four hits, while tallying six strikeouts.

"Before this season, May went through a lot of injuries during his seven-year career,” MLB.com’s Bill Ladson noted after the win. “Last year, May pitched under 200 pounds after recovering from an esophageal tear in early 2024. His playing weight is now 215 and he is pitching like he did when he was a prospect with the Dodgers.”

And, commenting on that return to form, May offered a three-word response on how he’s been able to recapture the promise he flashed with the Dodgers during a 2020 campaign that earned him Rookie of the Year Award votes.

“I feel healthy,” May explained, according to Ladson. “I feel really strong right now.”

Former Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Dustin May Bounces Back With St. Louis Cardinals

After signing a one-year, $12 million deal to join the Cardinals this season, May has a rough 4.21 ERA so far. But that average is down to 2.89 across more than 65 innings in his last 11 starts and he has allowed three runs or fewer in 10 of those.

And the stretch is noteworthy, given that the Dodgers gave up on his development amid his health setbacks last year by trading him to the Red Sox, which only led to further dissapointment.

"Trading for May was meant to shore up Boston's rotation, but the 28-year-old struggled, posting a 5.40 ERA across six appearances,” Shaun McAvoy wrote for NESN. “May ended up being a short-term rental for the Red Sox, signing a one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason."

The contrast between those two versions of May has become one of the more surprising stories in the National League playoff race. The Cardinals took a chance on a pitcher whose career had repeatedly been interrupted by injuries and inconsistency, and they are now watching him resemble the highly regarded prospect who once appeared destined for stardom.

For a Cardinals club chasing postseason positioning, May's resurgence could prove every bit as valuable as a midseason trade acquisition. More importantly for the right-hander, it has provided tangible evidence that the form he showed during his Dodgers years has not disappeared.