During his first two Major League starts, Dustin May flashed the potential that made him the Los Angeles Dodgers’ top pitching prospect. But both of those outings came at Dodger Stadium, so now May gets his first test on the road as he starts against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.
Clayton Kershaw was originally lined up to take the ball Tuesday’s series opener, but the Dodgers flipped May and Kershaw in the rotation to give their veteran All-Star an extra day of rest.
May threw 5.2 innings in each of his first two MLB starts, allowing four runs (three earned) to the San Diego Padres and one earned run to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers won the latter on a two-out, two-run walk-off single by Russell Martin.
May faces another former prized pitching prospect in Miami rookie Jordan Yamamoto.
Yamamoto is one of the key pieces of the controversial rebuild that the Marlins are currently mired in after team president Derek Jeter traded away Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna and J.T. Realmuto.
The Dodgers were linked to all four players in various trade rumors, but each of them was eventually dealt elsewhere.
Yamamoto is one of the players that the Milwaukee Brewers sent to Miami in return for eventual 2018 National Legaue MVP Yelich. That package also included shortstop Isan Diaz, who is off to a solid start in his MLB career after a recent call-up.
Like May, Yamamoto is in his rookie season. He has a 4.17 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 10 starts, including one where he was trounced at Dodger Stadium on July 21, giving up five earned runs over four innings en route to a 9-0 Dodgers win.
The Marlins are led by former Dodgers manager Don Mattingly in his fourth season with the club. They currently hold the worst record in the NL and third-worst MLB record, at 44-73.
One of their most productive players this season is also a former Dodger. Miguel Rojas, who famously made a stellar play at third base to preserve Kershaw’s no-hitter in 2014, is having a solid season for Miami. However, Rojas is currently on the injured list with a hamstring strain.
While he is not in the lineup, the Dodgers have the option to call on Kyle Garlick. He was recalled Tuesday in a corresponding move to the club placing Tyler White on the 10-day injured list with a right trap strain.
Dodgers lineup:
RF: Joc Pederson
2B: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Cody Bellinger
CF: A.J. Pollock
SS: Corey Seager
C: Will Smith
LF: Matt Beaty
P: Dustin May
Marlins lineup:
SS: Jon Berti
2B: Isan Díaz
RF: Brian Anderson
1B: Garrett Cooper
3B: Starlin Castro
LF: Harold Ramirez
C: Jorge Alfaro
CF: Lewis Brinson
P: Jordan Yamamoto
