Prior to the Los Angeles Dodgers concluding their regular season schedule, Dustin May and Blake Treinen each participated in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium as both work toward getting healthy in time for the start of National League Division Series.
May pitched two innings, primarily facing Hanser Alberto and Trea Turner. It was his first time throwing to batters since going on the 15-day injured list Sept. 24 due to lower back tightness.
“It started off pretty rocky but at the end it kind of went a little better,” May said of the simulated game. “Body is feeling really good, back is feeling a lot better. So I’ve just got to build up.”
The 25-year-old added he was “ready” to be on the Dodgers postseason roster for the NLDS, which begins with Game 1 at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, October 11.
Although May has recovered from his back injury, he isn’t to the point of being fully stretched out. The Dodgers have not indicated whether or not he would be included on their postseason roster for the NLDS, but manager Dave Roberts said the expectation would be that May could pitch a maximum of four innings at the outset of the playoffs.
If May doesn’t experience any setback from facing batters, he would face batters for a second time on Sunday.
The right-hander went 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA in six starts after returning from Tommy John surgery.
Dustin May open to any postseason role
Having both started and pitched in relief during his young career, including during the 2020 World Series run, May is willing to assume any role the Dodgers ask of him.
“I’ve done a lot of different things in the past, so I’m up for whatever they think is going to help the team the most,” he said. Definitely looking back at it, you look at ways you would get prepared for the game and different ways depending on if you’re coming out of the ‘pen or a starter.
“When you’re going out of the bullpen, you know you’re not going to go for super long. You’ve got to be ready.”
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