Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Dustin May continued his strong start to the season on Monday, tossing six innings of one-run ball against the Colorado Rockies in a 5-3 win. May allowed just three hits and perhaps more importantly walked zero while striking out seven. The 27-year-old has been solid so far this year, but he did walk three in each of his first two starts, so his improved control in this one was good to see. After an injury-plagued 2024, the Dodgers will likely limit May's pitch counts, which limits his fantasy value. He should still be rostered in most leagues, as he has a good chance to help with ratios and could pick up some wins if he can be efficient with his pitches.
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Dustin May will officially open the 2025 regular season as the team's No. 5 starter with right-hander Tony Gonsolin (back) opening the year on the injured list due to a back injury he suffered while lifting weights. Recovery from surgery on his right UCL and surgery to fix an esophageal tear kept May out for all the 2024 season, which means he'll most likely be on a strict innings limit in 2025. The 27-year-old has made only 20 starts and thrown 101 innings in the big leagues with the Dodgers since the start of the 2021 season due to injuries as well, so fantasy managers surely need to temper expectations. While May will open the year in the Dodgers' starting rotation, he is a candidate to move to the bullpen sooner than later once Gonsolin and Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) are ready to return.
Dustin May "Makes The Most Sense" As Fifth Starter
According to manager Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher Dustin May "makes the most sense" to be the fifth starter to open the season. Roberts noted that Tony Gonsolin (back) had a minor "hiccup" which opened the door for May to claim the final spot. Through five innings of work this spring, May has tallied six punchouts while allowing three earned runs, three hits, and four free passes. Last season, May was unable to pitch. He was recovering from a UCL revision surgery but then suffered an esophageal tear which kept him sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. In 2023, May logged 48 innings of work with a solid 2.63 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. He tallied just 34 punchouts but generated an elite 5.2 percent barrel rate. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to monitor his status during spring as he could be an intriguing late-round pick in deeper formats.
Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May Could Begin The Year In The Bullpen
Los Angeles Dodgers right-handers Tony Gonsolin (elbow) and Dustin May (elbow) could begin the 2025 regular season in bullpen roles, according to manager Dave Roberts. Although Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) won't make his debut this year as a starting pitcher right away, both Gonsolin and May could be ticketed for relief roles. The 30-year-old Gonsolin underwent Tommy John surgery in August of 2023 and didn't pitch at all in the big leagues in 2024, so it would be a way to limit his innings this season. May also missed all of the 2024 campaign and made only 20 starts from 2021-23 due to injury, so it would make sense if L.A. wanted to manage his innings in a relief role. The 27-year-old also is out of minor-league options, so if he doesn't win the No. 5 rotation spot in spring training, he'll almost certainly start the year out of the bullpen.
Dodgers Sign Dustin May To One-Year Deal To Avoid Arbitration
The Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Dustin May (elbow, throat) worth $2.135 million on Friday to avoid salary arbitration. Since the Dodgers won the World Series in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, May has battled injuries and has made just 20 starts for the Blue. He first underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2021 before returning in August of 2022. The 27-year-old re-injured his right elbow in May of 2023 and needed a second Tommy John procedure that summer. He was originally expected to return in the second half of 2024, but that didn't happen after he needed surgery for a tear in his esophagus. The former third-rounder in 2016 has been good in 46 career outings (34 starts) with a 3.10 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, but his strikeout rate of 22.5% has left a lot to be desired given his high velocity. Given his lengthy injury history, he may be moved to the bullpen in 2025.
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Dustin May (elbow, throat) underwent season-ending to repair surgery to repair a torn esophagus. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, May started feeling ill at dinner on Wednesday and went to the hospital on Thursday. The doctors diagnosed him with a torn esophagus and immediately sent him in for surgery. The 26-year-old hadn't pitched this season as he was working his way from right flexor tendon and UCL reconstruction revision surgery in July 2023. He will miss the rest of the season and looks to recover fully in time for spring training in 2025. Despite the injuries, fantasy managers should continue to stash May in dynasty leagues.
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Dustin May (elbow) started throwing off a mound at the team's spring training facilities on Monday in Arizona. May is slowly recovering from surgery that he had last July to fix his right flexor tendon and UCL. The 26-year-old is expected to pitch in 2024, but that's not likely to come until sometime this summer around the All-Star break in mid-July. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues shouldn't expect a whole lot from him this year, especially since the Dodgers aren't going to put too much on his plate once he is available at the big-league level. The former third-rounder's strikeout rate of 22.5% has left a lot to be desired when considering his pure stuff, but overall, May has looked good in his five years in LA, going 12-9 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 57 walks and 174 K's in 191 2/3 frames over 46 outings (34 starts).
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Dustin May (elbow) is in the early stages of a throwing program progression at camp and is hoping to be back sometime in August. He's finally in a spot where his elbow isn't giving him trouble. May said that even when he came back from Tommy John surgery, he kept waiting for a day when his discomfort would go away. The pain in his arm is no longer an issue. How the Dodgers deploy the hard-throwing 26-year-old later this year may depend on who is healthy by that point in the season. LA is hoping veteran lefty Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) will return in the second half, and they'll have plenty of pieces to juggle given the pitching staff's injury history. The Dodgers aren't currently hinging any plans on May, so fantasy managers in single-year leagues should act similarly.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed right-handed pitcher Dustin May (elbow) on the 60-day injured list, according to SB Nation's Eric Stephen. This was a merely procedural move given that May underwent surgery last summer and is expected to miss the first half of the 2024 season. He had a 2.63 ERA, 6.38 K/9, 3.00 BB/9, and 45.2 percent ground-ball rate through nine starts last year. Injuries have held the former top prospect to just 46 games over five years in the majors. Shifting May to the 60-day injured list creates an extra 40-man roster spot, which will be filled by Ryan Brasier, who was re-signed on Thursday.
Based on Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Dustin May's (elbow) Instagram page, he has started a throwing program this offseason after having flexor-tendon surgery and a Tommy John revision on his right elbow in July. Because of the fact that the 26-year-old will be sidelined until at least the second half of the 2024 season, he'll be left to the waiver wire to start the year in a lot of single-year fantasy leagues. May was ready to break out before getting hurt again in 2023, ultimately finishing with a 2.63 ERA (3.23 FIP) and 0.94 WHIP while walking 16 and fanning 34 in 48 innings over nine starts. If he can ever get past the injury bug, there's a lot to like about May's long-term profile. The Dodgers will most likely ease May in for the second half of 2024, so perhaps his true breakout campaign will now come in 2025.
Dustin May
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Dodgers
