Dustin May has made three starts this season and just nine overall since returning from Tommy John surgery he underwent in 2021, but the right-hander is looking like an important piece of the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation.
After mixed results in his first six games back during the 2022 season where May posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 30 innings, he seems to have taken a step forward. Through three starts this season, the 25-year-old has a 1.47 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in 18.1 innings.
Now fully healthy, expectations are high for May from both the club and fans, but he isn’t focused on meeting those, via SportsNet LA:
“I really don’t care what people think. I’m going to go out and do what I’m going to do. It’s going to be good or it’s going to be had. It has nothing to do with what people think about me, so I’m just going to do what I can.”
The former top pitching prospect was breaking out prior to his injury. In five starts during the 2021 season, May held a 2.74 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 23 innings.
The Dodgers are hopeful May can get back to that point, and so far it’s looking like he can, but they will still need to be cautious with his innings, especially with the hopes of playing deep into the postseason.
May would benefit from bringing back the strikeouts to his game to take the next step forward. He currently has a strikeout rate of 17.6%, which followed a 22.8% mark in 2022, but during his rookie year in 2021, it was an impressive 37.6%.
All three numbers are limited samples and a 37% strikeout rate is an unsustainable number to begin with, but if he could sit in the upper 20s to low 30s, May could end up being considered one of MLB’s premier pitchers.
Dustin May not satisfied with previous start
In his previous outing, May pitched 5.1 innings and allowed just two runs, but he still wasn’t pleased with his outing. Although he was still effective, it was a struggle for May, who threw 35 balls compared to 42 strikes.
The right-hander is still sporting a 1.47 ERA this season across 18.1 innings, but he only has 12 strikeouts compared to seven walks.
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