The St. Louis Cardinals may have struck gold with their $12.5 million offseason signing of Dustin May, despite some criticism surrounding the move.
During the offseason, the Cardinals appeared to fully embrace a rebuild by trading away several key players, including Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Sonny Gray, as they shifted focus toward the future. At the same time, they brought in May from the Boston Red Sox to help strengthen their starting rotation.
May is coming off a difficult 2025 season and had missed the entire 2024 campaign due to injuries, which led some to question the signing. However, early signs in spring training suggest the gamble could pay off.
According to The Athletic’s Eno Sarris, May has looked significantly better this spring and may only need to fine-tune his command to have a strong season in St. Louis. His fastball velocity has increased by nearly three miles per hour, his changeup is sharper, and he has reintroduced his curveball. His four-seam fastball also shows improved movement, a trait that once made him particularly effective.
The main issue so far has been control. Despite the improved stuff, May’s strikeout numbers haven’t fully reflected it because he’s still working on locating his revamped fastball. If he sharpens that command, he could return to the form that previously produced ERAs in the low twos along with strong strikeout and ground-ball rates.
For the Cardinals, signing May represents a low-risk, high-reward investment. If he struggles, the team isn’t heavily impacted financially. But if he performs well, he could either become a key piece of the rotation or a valuable trade asset by the deadline.
Based on his current form, May appears closer to the pitcher he was in 2023 when he posted a sub-3.00 ERA and an elite WHIP than the one who struggled last season. With improved velocity and a stronger overall pitch mix, he has the potential to become a major contributor at the front of the Cardinals’ rotation.
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