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Dodgers Injuries: Dustin May Undergoes Successful Tommy John Surgery

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Ted S. Warren/AP Photo

Dustin May had Tommy John surgery as planned this week, with the operation performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. May now doesn’t figure to get back on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers until some time into the 2022 season.

“I haven’t talked to him yet. I think his phone has been blowing up, so I’ll let a couple days get by us and then I’ll reach out to him,” manager Dave Roberts said. “From my understanding, the surgery couldn’t have gone any better. I’m excited for Dustin to get that behind him and now work towards healing and strengthening.”

May required the surgery after coming out in the second inning of his start against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 1. He threw a 94 mph fastball and immediately gestured toward the dugout, which prompted Roberts and a Dodgers trainer to head out to the mound.

An MRI revealed the damaged UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) in May’s right elbow. Roberts at the time said he wasn’t certain to what degree the tear was, but noted, “I just know it was pretty clear cut that a decision for surgery was obviously made, so that should be pretty telling.”

May earned the fifth spot in the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation and went 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in five outings. His strikeouts per nine innings increased to 13.7, which represented a remarkable increase from last season’s 7.1 average.

The Dodgers plan to fill the void left by May’s injury with Tony Gonsolin, who is recovering from right shoulder inflammation.

Turner: May ‘significant’ loss for Dodgers

May was part of the Dodgers’ impressive pitching depth to begin the season and among the many reason they were considered a favorite to repeat as World Series champions.

“That’s a significant loss for us. That’s a significant arm we’ve relied on and were planning on relying on,” Justin Turner said. “Just feel terrible for Dustin. Obviously it’s not something anyone wants to go through or experience.

“Just wishing him a speedy recovery and hopefully he can stay mentally strong, get through this, talk to a lot of guys who have experienced it and come out of it better and stronger.”

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com