The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, much in part to a bumpy start from Dustin May, who lasted just four innings.
May allowed five runs on seven hits and struggled to finish hitters after getting into two-strike counts.
“It’s just I’m not putting guys away at the moment. I’ve got to find something I can execute in the count when I need to,” May said after the Dodgers’ 6-1 loss. “Right now, when I’m going for it, it’s just not there. I’ve got to figure it out.”
In his sixth start of the season, the stuff wasn’t bad, but when May needed to make a pitch, he was leaving them in very hittable spots. Corbin Carroll took advantage of one of May’s mistake and lined a poorly located cutter into center field for a three-run double.
“It was just they hit the stuff that I threw in the zone and I threw a lot of balls in bad counts. Set myself up for failure, walking guys and giving up weak contact,” May said. “It was just overall bad.”
May’s prior start against the San Francisco Giants yielded five no-hit innings, surrendering just one walk and collecting four strikeouts, but following it up with a dud against the Diamondbacks signaled there’s a need for more consistency.
“I think it’s just beginning to be more of I need to execute,” said May, dismissing the notion that working into form after undergoing Tommy John surgery could be to blame.
“I’m to a point now where I feel comfortable with everything. I just need to go out and execute. It’s not really a thing with Tommy John anymore. I need to go out and throw strikes.”
The inconsistencies between starts have been frustrating for May, but he’s expressed a desire to get on the right track and find some consistency moving forward.
May’s current repertoire of pitches and their movements mirrors that of Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara, per Baseball Savant, and in just six starts with the Dodgers following Tommy John, he’s shown bursts of electric stuff.
“I feel normal right now. It’s just part of a me thing just not executing stuff when I need to,” May reiterated.
Dustin May trying to get on track for postseason
Since joining the Dodgers rotation in late August, May is 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA, 4.38 FIP and 1.17 WHIP in 30 innings pitched over six starts. But with the postseason around the corner, Wednesday’s outing demonstrated there’s plenty to get ironed out before the playoffs.
“I’m trying to figure things out as we go,” May said. “It was not a good night for that. There were a lot of opportunities where I could have, and I just kind of pushed the opportunity away. I’ve just got to be better.”
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