The Los Angeles Dodgers got back in the win column against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, boosted by what Dustin May referred to as his best start of Cactus League play.
“I thought tonight was probably my best outing,” May said after throwing five innings. “Body-wise, I was way more in control of how I felt going to home plate. I felt way more synced up in my delivery and everything came out right.”
In his longest outing of the spring, May allowed just one run on two hits and struck out six batters. He regularly hit triple digits on the radar gun, including a 101 mph fastball.
For the right-hander, it was a third time pitching on a five-day schedule. He believes having a set routine has helped him get better with each outing.
“I’m a huge routine guy, so just being able to stay on the five-day a couple times in a row now has been great,” May said.
“Just being able to feel my body out and get to the spot I was feeling last year in the playoffs and hopefully getting to stay as a starter. But we’re moving forward with whatever they tell me to do.”
While May prefers being on a five-day routine, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that he and Tony Gonsolin won’t necessarily have set roles this season.
May doesn’t have an issue with that and just wants to help the Dodgers anyway he can. “I mean, I’m game for whatever,” he said.
“You kind of saw that last year when I got the Opening Day start and I was notified like 24 hours before first pitch. I’m really up for anything as long as I’m contributing and helping the team win, I’m happy to do whatever.”
May focused on mechanics, command in Spring Training
With Spring Training drawing to a close, May noted that his main focus was cleaning up his mechanics and throwing his breaking balls for strikes. “I had some pitch development stuff working in early camp and just trying to feel some stuff out on the rubber, getting my direction more toward home plate,” he said.
“Being able to throw breaking balls for strikes, throwing the four-seam up in the zone and away to righties. Just being able to mix and put offspeed over the plate is the biggest thing.
“Whenever I’m on the plate and I’m throwing strikes, I keep myself out of bad situations. I feel like when I get put in bad situations — like when I walk a guy — I put myself there. My biggest thing is just trying to stay over the plate and let them hit it or not.”
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