Dustin May’s stint in St. Louis ended the way so many deadline rentals do: with a trade, a fresh wave of prospects coming back, and a goodbye that showed he understood exactly what the Cardinals meant to him in a short time.
The Cardinals moved May to the Brewers as part of their deadline sell-off, sending him and JoJo Romero to Milwaukee in return for prospects Alexander Frias, ranked No. 4, and Josiah Ragsdale, ranked No. 10.
For a team still hanging around the playoff race, it was a clear sign that St. Louis was sticking with the rebuild path it started at last season’s deadline and reinforced this offseason with moves involving Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan.
May had done enough to make himself valuable. The 28-year-old made 21 starts for St.
Louis before the deadline, worked to a 4.38 ERA and struck out 106 batters. He also finished with the second-most quality starts among Cardinals pitchers this season, giving the rotation a level of steadiness that helped explain why the club stayed in the mix longer than many expected.
That kind of production is exactly why contending teams come calling in July. Pitching always carries a premium at the deadline, and a productive veteran on a short-term deal is the kind of piece plenty of clubs want to chase. The Brewers did just that.
May had signed with St. Louis on a one-year, $12 million contract that also included a mutual option for next season worth $20 million, though it would have been a surprise to see the Cardinals take that route later on.
Even with the brief stay, he made an impression with fans, and he made that clear in his parting words to the organization, calling it an "absolute pleasure" to be in St. Louis.
His exit leaves the Cardinals with one more opening in the rotation, and Hunter Dobbins now has a chance to show what he can do the rest of the way. It also gives St. Louis another example of how a veteran signing can become deadline value, the kind of move that could help the farm system keep growing faster next season.
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One year later, the contrast is getting harder to ignore. Helsleys stint with New York did not go the way the Mets hoped, and Bez has quietly built a case in the Cardinals farm system with his production across High-A and Double-A. He has also climbed into the organizations prospect conversation, which only adds to the sense that this deal may end up being measured very differently on the St. Louis side than it was the day it was made. [Read more 🡒]
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For now, the club seems content to let Herrera and the rest of the catching group keep sorting out roles on the field rather than forcing a swift decision. That patience makes sense with the roster in flux, but it also keeps the conversation alive about where Herrera ultimately fits best in the Cardinals long-term plans. [Read more 🡒]
Alec Burleson Had Cardinals Fans Wondering About His Deadline Future
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Manager Oli Marmol later made it clear Burleson did not need to sit with that uncertainty for long. The conversation that followed the deadline brought immediate relief for the 25-year-old, who wanted to remain in St. Louis and continue being part of the Cardinals plans as they try to build something more stable over the next couple of years. [Read more 🡒]