photo: Dustin May (Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports)
The St. Louis Cardinals are signing right-handed pitcher Dustin May to a one-year contract with a 2027 mutual option, as first reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN late Saturday afternoon.
Right-hander Dustin May and the St. Louis Cardinals are in agreement on a free agent contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 13, 2025
His salary has not yet been disclosed, but this article will be updated when it is made available. As noted above, the Cardinals have not yet made their formal announcement.
May, 28, has been in professional ball for 10 years, after being drafted from a Texas high school by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round in 2016. He signed for just short of $1 million.
Then the Dodgers’ top prospect and ranked in the Top 20 nationally, May made his MLB debut in 2019, making four starts and 10 relief appearances. His ERA was 3.63.
When ace Clayton Kershaw could not make his 2020 Opening Day start due to injury, May stepped in and went on to pick up the win. Hopes were high as he posted a 2.57 ERA in 10 starts and two pen outings. In his rookie year, May threw 56 innings, striking out 44 against 16 walks. He also starred in the first two rounds of the postseason, with a 2.34 in three starts, but yielded three runs in relief in the World Series. May finished fifth in the National League Rookie of the Year balloting.
After May made five starts in 2021, the injury bug arrived. He required Tommy John surgery and did not return until late August 2022.
Eight strong starts into the 2023 season, the 6-foot-6 righty again required surgery, this time to his flexor tendon. He also missed all of 2024 as he suffered a torn esophagus during his rehab.
Back at full strength to open 2025, May returned to the Dodgers’ rotation. At the end of July, May had already set a career high in innings with 104 while going 6-7 with a 4.85 ERA in 19 appearances.
At the deadline, the Red Sox acquired May in trade for two outfield prospects. However, the change in scenery did not work out. With a 5.40 ERA in 28 1/3 innings over six games, May again landed on the injured list on September 6, this time with elbow neuritis. He missed the rest of the regular season and playoffs.
2025 was May’s fifth consecutive season with significant time missed.
May features a fastball in the mid to upper-90s and a plus sinker as his primary offerings. His career strikeout rate is 8.3 per nine with a walk rate of 3.1 per nine.
If May is ready to answer the bell for the Cardinals, there are rotation spots for the taking. However, expecting 180 innings and 30 starts from him, when he has never done either in his six-year MLB career, would be highly risky.
When the trade is final, the Cardinals will need to clear a 40-man roster spot for May.
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