Cardinals finalizing deal with former Dodgers starter Dustin May

Derrick Goold, St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Dec 13, 2025

Published in Baseball

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ST. LOUIS — With opportunity to offer a pitcher looking to reestablish health and performance, the Cardinals made their first leap of the winter in free agency on Saturday.

Right-handed starter Dustin May and the Cardinals reached an agreement on a one-year deal, the Post-Dispatch confirmed via multiple sources. The deal, which was first reported by ESPN and includes a mutual option for 2027 per MassLive.com, is pending a physical.

Full financial details were not available before deadline for this edition.

One of the youngest free agents available in this winter's market and the youngest starter with as much MLB experience, May spent the past year with the Dodgers and the Red Sox. He pitched a career-high 132 1/3 innings and struck out 123. He missed the entirety of the 2024 season due to a torn esophagus, and he had previous seasons interrupted by Tommy John surgery and a flexor strain that also contributed to missing time in the majors.

In the past seven seasons, May has been limited to 324 innings over 71 appearances in the majors.

"I just want to find a spot that's going to treat me well and put the best foot forward and make me have the best season possible," May told reporters this past month in Las Vegas at the MLB Awards gathering. "So that's kind of what we're looking at right now is just who's going to help the most."

The 6-foot-6 right-hander went 7-11 with a 4.96 ERA in 25 games (23 starts) this past season. After making 18 starts for the Dodgers and going 6-7, May was traded to the Red Sox at the July 31 deadline for two minor leaguers. May pitched in six games (five starts) for the Sox and went 1-4 with a 5.40 ERA.

May was once a hotshot, power prospect for the Dodgers, reaching the majors in 2019 and flashing a fastball that averaged 98.4 mph as recently as 2021. He returned this season from injuries to average 95.4 mph on his fastball and 94.5 mph on a sinker that he leans on.

The Cardinals have been shopping for a starter to add to the rotation after dealing Sonny Gray to Boston this past month. The Cardinals acquired Richard Fitts in that trade and plan to have him compete for a spot in the rotation, but they also wanted to add another starter, perhaps one who could use guaranteed starts to rebuild value and then re-enter the free-agent market.

If May thrives and the Cardinals slip out of the race by this summer’s deadline, the right-hander would also provide the team a valuable trade option to acquire more young talent.

As the Cardinals enter the second year of a retooling, they are seeking as many ways as possible to accumulate young talent to help their future aspirations or fuel future trades.