When the St. Louis Cardinals added Dustin May to their pitching roster, fans were eager to see how he would fare in the 2026 season. As May aims to secure his place in the majors, former Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn has weighed in on a strategy that could impact both May's role and the team's pitching rotation.
Lynn has been vocal about the benefits of adopting a six-man rotation this year, a move designed to keep pitchers fresh and healthy. This approach could be particularly beneficial for a talent like May, who, if he excels, might become a valuable trade asset.
Lynn elaborated on the idea, pointing out the need to manage innings carefully. "So everybody is on an innings limit.
In my opinion, there's no one guy you can chalk up for 170 plus innings. So how are you to get through the year?"
Lynn explained. "Shutting someone down before September doesn't really help them for the future.
We need to find a way to manage innings so everyone can pitch through September and survive those Dog Days."
He further suggested that this method would benefit all starters by allowing them to maintain their strength throughout the season. "And I think that will save every starter where one time through, we have a piggyback,” Lynn continued. “Then at the end of the year, everybody's healthy to go do their thing."
"[Dustin] May's gonna be gone at the trade deadline if he's doing anything that he's supposed to be doing."
— Cardinal Territory (@CardTerritory) March 16, 2026
Lance Lynn makes the case for a six-man rotation for the Cardinals this year. pic.twitter.com/m7F32eBbh8
As for May, Lynn speculated that if he performs well, he might be traded by the deadline. "May is going to be gone, probably at the trade deadline, if he's doing anything that he's supposed to be doing," Lynn noted.
Ultimately, the spotlight is on May to see how he performs and what his future holds with the Cardinals. Whether he becomes a key player in their rotation or a valuable trade chip, his journey this season will be one to watch.