The Cardinals got a scare with Dustin May, but the early signs are good: he does not appear headed to the injured list and is still lined up to start Monday night in the opener of a five-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium.
That update, reported by Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, offers a relief point for a team that has suddenly put together some momentum.
St. Louis has won back-to-back series against clubs above .500, taking two games from the Atlanta Braves and then doing the same against the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.
May’s exit in the finale against Atlanta had the potential to turn into something much bigger. He was hit in the ankle by a comebacker, stayed in for a few more hitters, and then was removed after limping off the mound. For the Cardinals, the fact that he avoided a trip to the injured list matters on two fronts: he remains part of the rotation, and he also stays in play as the deadline approaches.
The team’s current plan is to keep May in the Monday slot, which would push Michael McGreevy back to Tuesday for one of the two doubleheader games against Milwaukee. The second starter for the other game has not been announced.
May’s status also ties into a bigger question hanging over St. Louis: whether he’s still around if the Cardinals decide to deal.
The source of the uncertainty is straightforward - the Cardinals are expected to at least listen to offers on him, and if the right one comes along, Chaim Bloom would be wise to make the move. The article also notes that the Cardinals likely won’t have May on their roster in 2027, which is part of the logic behind considering a trade now.
At the same time, the recent run of series wins leaves open another possibility. If St. Louis really is turning the corner, May could stay put and remain part of a playoff push.
On the field, the numbers have been uneven. May is 5-6 with a 4.80 ERA in 16 starts this season.
He was tagged for five runs in the first inning against the Braves and struggled in his previous outing against the Kansas City Royals. But the upside is still right there, too: not long ago, he threw a one-hit complete-game shutout against the San Diego Padres.
That’s the version the Cardinals will hope shows up Monday. After the comebacker scare, May has had a couple of days to recover, and for now it looks like he’s passed the tests needed to take the ball against Milwaukee.
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