The Cardinals did well to squeeze value out of the trade deadline, and one of their bigger chips in that process was Dustin May. But even with St. Louis in need of veteran help for a young rotation, this is not a reunion that makes much sense this winter.
May spent the first five and a half seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers before being traded to the Boston Red Sox in 2025. After struggling in Boston, he landed with the Cardinals on a one-year, $12.5 million deal that also carried a mutual option worth $20 million for 2027.
That option is unlikely to be exercised, which puts May back on the market again this offseason. And while the fit looks clean on the surface - a durable arm, short-term contract, some upside for a rebuilding club - St. Louis would be better off looking elsewhere.
The Cardinals have a solid starting rotation, but there’s still room for a veteran who can help stabilize things behind the team’s younger arms. May checks some of those boxes, at least in theory. In practice, though, the Cardinals already got their payoff from him once, and there’s no guarantee they’d get a repeat.
"Up for another go-around? May improved his value with what he did for the Cardinals, as evidenced by how much they got for him in their trade," MLB.com's Will Leitch wrote on Thursday.
"But he struggled after moving to Milwaukee -- pending the World Series -- and it’s clear he’s not the No. 3 postseason starter the Brewers were hoping for. May still has a lively fastball and is relatively young compared to the market, as he won’t turn 30 until next September.
You could argue that he still has a bit more to prove, and perhaps a return to St. Louis could help both parties once again."
The problem is that May’s stock has dipped since the move. Milwaukee hasn’t been able to count on him in the postseason, where he’s been inconsistent and has a 6.43 ERA through three playoff appearances this year.
That kind of performance makes it tough to imagine another team surrendering the kind of return the Brewers sent St. Louis in the first place.
If the Cardinals want to shop for a starter with upside, there are other free-agent names to monitor. Shane Bieber, Kris Bubic and Foster Griffin are the ones mentioned as better options for St. Louis.
In Other News...
Cardinals May Need A Tough Rotation Call As Top Prospect Nears
Jurrangelo Cijntje is tracking toward the majors as one of the more intriguing arms in the Cardinals system, and his development has already forced some longer-range roster planning in St. Louis. After making the move from switch-pitcher to primarily a right-handed starter, he split last season between Double-A and Triple-A and was one of the organizations top prospects despite a 4.87 ERA.
His progress matters because the Cardinals are looking ahead to 2027 with more than one pitching prospect potentially pressing for a spot, and the front office may have to make some uncomfortable decisions to sort through the group. Cijntje is expected to be part of that conversation as he gets closer to his MLB debut, which could put St. Louis in the position of choosing how to fit a young arm with upside into a crowded future rotation picture. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals May Have Found A Cheaper Rotation Fix In Free Agency
The Cardinals are entering the offseason with pitching at the center of the conversation, and the search for help is not limited to the bullpen. While St. Louis has already made clear it wants to reinforce the staff across the board, one name floating as a potential rotation answer is Foster Griffin, a left-hander who spent the 2026 season with the Nationals and Guardians.
Griffins appeal is pretty straightforward for a club trying to improve without overspending: he gave Cleveland a combined 3.60 ERA in 31 starts and helped the Guardians get to the postseason. For a Cardinals team looking for a more affordable path to rotation depth, that profile makes him the kind of fit who could make sense on a one- or two-year deal, even if the broader market still has to shake out. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Connection Could Make This Cardinals Rotation Target Even More Intriguing
The Cardinals are entering the offseason with a familiar kind of question hovering over the rotation: how much veteran help they need to bring in to steady a staff that still leans young. One name that fits that search is Tyler Mahle, a 10-year MLB veteran whose recent track record suggests he could provide the sort of innings and stability St. Louis has often valued from experienced starters.
Mahles appeal goes beyond just filling a spot in the rotation. He worked across two teams last season and was effective enough to keep his profile high, while his time in Atlanta only adds another layer to why he could be on St. Louis radar. For a Cardinals club looking ahead to 2027, a seasoned arm like that could offer both immediate depth and a useful bridge for a developing pitching group. [Read more 🡒]