The Los Angeles Dodgers have been anxiously awaiting the returning of flame-throwing starter Dustin May for more than a year now.
May suffered an elbow injury on May 17 of last season that required surgery. And while that operation was not qualified as Tommy John surgery, it included a Tommy John revision and missing a full year was on the table.
May is now slowly working his way back to what will be a crowded Dodgers rotation. He has been throwing bullpen sessions at Camelback Ranch in Arizona, meaning he is still a ways away from building toward a return. But there have been some good signs out of May in Arizona.
Manager Dave Roberts spoke about May’s recovery process and said that while there is not much to report, the good news is that his velocity appears to be gearing back up, according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Right-hander Dustin May is in Arizona continuing to throw bullpen sessions as part of his recovery from elbow surgery last year. But Roberts noted May’s velocity when throwing off the mound has been “north of 90 (mph).”
May getting his velocity above 90 mph at this point in the recovery process is a great sign that, when he eventually returns, it will be as the same pitcher he was prior to the injury. Unfortunately, the injured list has been a regular part of May’s career thus far, as he has not pitched more than 56 innings in a Major League season.
The Dodgers would love for this injury to be May’s last major issue, even if his return would mean some difficult decisions for the starting rotation. Roberts has said that he hopes the Dodgers have the issue of too many starters when October comes around, and May’s return could certainly lead to that problem.
Shohei Ohtani missing pitching in first Dodgers season
Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers knowing that he would not be able to pitch in 2024 after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery at the end of his final season with the L.A. Angels. The belief is that he’ll be ready to go as a pitcher when the 2025 season begins.
And while Ohtani admitted that there is a nervousness to pitching that he hasn’t had to deal with this season, he still misses it and is excited to get back on the mound.
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