After making his MLB debut last year and being included on the postseason roster, Dustin May went into Spring Training as part of the early discussion to potentially earn a spot in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation.
But that was quickly put to bed when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Alex Wood would be the fifth starter. Then of course, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic put everything on hold, and once Summer Camp opened, David Price elected to opt out of the 2020 season.
However, that void in the starting rotation predictably was filled by Ross Stripling. May was optioned to the Dodgers’ alternate site at USC prior to the season opener, only to make an immediate return when back trouble forced Clayton Kershaw to the 10-day injured list.
May became the first Dodgers rookie pitcher to start on Opening Day since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. Coincidentally, that too was in what became a shortened season. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series that year, which Roberts at time said he hoped would be another correlation with 2020.
May wound up earning a permanent role in the rotation and also made two relief appearances. He finished 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched across 12 games. The 23-year-old finished fifth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
Although May didn’t pitch out of the bullpen until the final two weeks of the regular season, he was effectively used as a reliever throughout the postseason. May initially fared well but his command and effectiveness began to wane with each game on short rest.
After allowing at least one run in three consecutive appearances, the right-hander got back on track with just one hit allowed and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings in a pivotal Game 5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series.
2020 highlight
May making a first Opening Day start so early into his career was certainly memorable, but so too was an outing less than two weeks later. He set a career high with eight strikeouts against the San Diego Padres, but it was a sinker that broke down and in on Manny Machado that went viral.
2021 outlook
Although free agency and potential trades could change the landscape, May is on track to be in the starting rotation next season. The next challenge for the right-hander will be withstanding the rigors of what’s presumed to be a full 162-game season.
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