Dustin May has settled in with the Cardinals this season, and he isn’t hiding how he feels about the possibility of leaving.
With the trade deadline a week away, St. Louis is once again staring at a familiar decision.
After a second-half collapse last year pushed the club into a full rebuild, the Cardinals sold at the deadline, then kept moving pieces in the offseason by dealing multiple star players. They didn’t make any major additions over the winter, instead bringing in several veterans on one-year deals - including May.
The right-hander signed a one-year, $12.5 million contract that also includes a mutual option for 2027 worth $20 million. He’s been a reliable part of the rotation, logging a 4.59 ERA with 103 strikeouts in 20 starts.
But the Cardinals’ season has taken a turn since the All-Star break. They were in possession of the final wild-card spot at one point, but now they’re on the outside looking in, and that puts them right back in sell mode if the slide continues.
That makes May one of the more obvious trade chips on the roster. Even so, he made clear recently that he’d prefer to stay in St.
Louis, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
“Whether I’m here or not it’s not up to me," May said, per Goold. "I would love to stay.
I love this group of guys. It’s been a lot of fun this year.
You never know what this next week’s going to hold.”
May’s comments show he understands the business side of it, too. The deadline is close, and if the Cardinals decide to move players, he’d be among the first names to watch.
He also just turned in one of his better recent outings on Friday, giving up one earned run over six innings while striking out eight. Still, he hasn’t been dominant all season, and with his contract expiring, St. Louis probably wouldn’t be eager to pick up that $20 million mutual option for next year anyway.
So while May has clearly found a place he’d like to remain, the direction of the Cardinals suggests that may not be his call for much longer.
In Other News...
Cardinals May Already Have Their Next Late-Inning Answer
The Cardinals used the fifth round of the 2026 MLB Draft to add UCLA right-hander Cal Randall, a power arm who fits the kind of profile teams often dream on when theyre hunting for late-inning help. His appeal starts with the fastball, which gives him a chance to move faster than a typical draft pick if everything clicks, and St. Louis has already locked him in with a full-slot deal.
What makes Randall especially interesting for the Cardinals is the timeline. Some evaluators think he has the stuff to climb quickly through the minors, but his exact starting point has not been set yet, leaving the organization to map out just how aggressive it wants to be. With bullpen roles never staying quiet for long in St. Louis, the next question is whether Randall becomes part of that conversation sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Just Moved On From Another Bullpen Arm Fans Noticed
Scott Blewetts brief stop in St. Louis ended the way so many bullpen auditions do, with the Cardinals sending him off after a quick look and another roster shuffle. The right-hander, who has already bounced through multiple organizations in his career, was designated for assignment earlier in the week after being selected from Triple-A Memphis, then found a new landing spot when Oakland stepped in.
The Athletics acquired Blewett from the Cardinals for cash considerations, giving St. Louis a little roster flexibility while moving on from a pitcher who had just worked two scoreless relief innings in Tuesdays 5-1 loss to the Angels. For a Cardinals bullpen that has been in constant motion, it was another reminder of how thin the margins are for a reliever without much room to maneuver. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Linked To Intriguing Outfield Gamble As Deadline Pressure Builds
After a win over the Reds and a 50-45 record heading into the All-Star break, the Cardinals are still sitting in that awkward middle ground where the deadline can push them toward either direction. They have enough on the board to justify a buy, but not so much separation that the front office can ignore the possibility of moving pieces if the market or the standings break the wrong way.
One name being floated as a possible fit is a Rockies outfielder whose profile makes him the kind of gamble contenders sometimes explore in July. The attraction is obvious enough: a player with upside, years of control and the chance to be more than a short-term rental if the bat comes around, even if the current production has been uneven. For St. Louis, the question is whether this is the sort of low-cost swing that makes sense now, or the kind of deadline bet that only looks smart if the rebound comes quickly. [Read more 🡒]