Dustin May’s 2023 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers was cut short due to more right elbow trouble, which limited him to just 48 innings and nine starts.
The right-hander sustained a right flexor pronator strain in a start against the Minnesota Twins that required season-ending surgery. He also had a Tommy John revision for a Grade 2 sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).
May’s timeline for a return was projected to be about 12 months. He has resumed baseball activities and began throwing off a mound recently.
If all continues going well in his recovery, the 26-year-old is hoping to be back on a Major League mound by August or September, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
May said he hopes to return in August or September and pitch for the Dodgers.
“I think the hope is that at some point in time he’ll come back. But when that time is we just don’t know,” Roberts said of May. “His health is the most important. We just have to make sure he’s healthy and there’s no rush or no expectation from us.”
It is encouraging to see the progress May has made, but the Dodgers will continue exercising caution with him, and there are no guarantees that he will pitch this season.
If May does return, he will be an option to join the Dodgers rotation, but could also be a candidate in the bullpen. Roberts said the club has not yet considered May’s potential role for this season.
Over parts of five seasons with the Dodgers, May owns a career 12-9 record, 3.10 ERA, 3.76 FIP and 1.05 WHIP in 46 games (34 starts).
Dustin May: Needing second elbow surgery was ‘gut-wrenching’
May’s latest elbow operation was his second major procedure in 26 months as he previously underwent Tommy John surgery during the 2021 season.
May said he was devastated upon finding out that he would need another surgery, but vowed to return to the mound as soon as possible.
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