by Prior to MLB’s trade deadline, the Red Sox made one move on Thursday, acquiring right-hander Dustin May from the Los Angeles Dodgers in return for Zach Ehrhard and James Tibbs III, two prospects.
RHP Dustin May was acquired by the Red Sox today from the Los Angeles Dodgers in return for Zach Ehrhard and minor league OF James Tibbs III.Twitter: pic.twitter.com/tW09MHjxjL
At the time of Thursday’s transaction, Tibbs was batting.205 with a.589 OPS in 29 games for Double-A Portland, making him possibly the best prospect Boston had acquired in the Rafael Devers trade to the Giants in June.
The Red Sox have added an intriguing arm with May that they can use in the bullpen or at the back end of their rotation. After a career marred by injuries, there are still questions over the 27-year-old’s overall ceiling.
Four facts regarding Boston’s new pitcher are as follows:
May has struggled this season with the Dodgers
The good news? With 19 games played in 2025 and more than 100 innings for the first time in the major leagues, May is having the healthiest season of his career. He has previously recorded 56.0 innings in a single season in 2020.
The bad news? His worst season to date has coincided with May’s healthiest season with the Dodgers.
This season, May, who turns 28 in September, is 6-7 with a 4.85 ERA in 19 games (18 starts). May has walked 43 batters and struck out 97 in his 104 innings pitched thus far this season.
On July 27, he made his final appearance as a Dodger at Fenway Park against the Red Sox. The Los Angeles starter gave up four runs in five innings as the Boston team won 4-3.
Alex Bregman, BOS HR in two runs (13)(LAD RHP Dustin May) Distance: 400 ftEV: 99.6 mphLA: 3084.8 mph sweeperThere would be 30/30 MLB parks.#DirtyWaterpic.twitter.com/nleT7UxSA3 LAD (3) @ BOS (4)5th
After his final start against Boston, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts demoted May, who had been a starter for the Dodgers for the most of his career, to the bullpen in a multi-inning role.
Among the 82 pitchers who have pitched at least 100 innings this season, May’s 4.85 ERA is ranked 73rd overall, and his 9.5 percent walk rate is ranked 72nd.
ERA DUSTIN MAY 4.85 Pitcher 73rd out of 82 (minimum innings pitched)1.35 WHIP 64th42nd: 21.5% strikeout rate; 72nd: 9.5% walk rateHard hit rate: 43.6%; average: 61st.243 63rd 42nd 1.38 HR/9
May, a pending free agent, is anticipated to start around the back end of Boston’s lineup, behind Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, and Garrett Crochet.
May was once one of the top young starters in baseball
Red Sox supporters would probably be excited over their team receiving one of the best young guns in the game if this trade had been made, say, in 2023.
Before having Tommy John surgery in July 2023, May had a 3.10 lifetime ERA with the Dodgers. In 2020, he even started on Opening Day for the Dodgers while Clayton Kershaw was injured.
May is a powerful 6-foot-6 player who may not have the best swing-and-miss skills after many surgeries, but when used well, his sinker and sweeper are two offerings that may limit the damage inflicted at the plate and generate a lot of ground balls.
May had a sub-3.00 ERA in three of his six years in Los Angeles, despite the fact that his workload wasn’t very demanding during his six seasons with the Dodgers because of injuries.
Regretfully, May’s most recent run of injury problems predates all three of those campaigns.
He s dealt with multiple injuries on the mound
May has a history of injuries; his bright future in Los Angeles was marred by a number of elbow conditions and other weird mishaps.
In his career, May has already had two Tommy John surgeries. He had the major operation done for the first time in 2021 after making just five starts for Los Angeles that year (2.74 ERA).
After recovering from the treatment in August 2022, he pitched six games for the Dodgers that season, finishing with a 2-3 record and a 4.50 ERA before his season was cut short the following month due to back discomfort.
In 2023, May appeared to have recovered his form, going 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in nine starts. However, in July 2023, he had another Tommy John revision surgery to repair his right flexor tendon due to increasing elbow pain.
In the midst of his injury troubles, May told MLB.com during spring training that it felt great to be back on the mound with the Dodgers. Just going back in the dugout, feeling good, and being here feels like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders, even if it wasn’t a clean inning.
It was quite hefty. I’m still here. I’m happy to be here. It’s like a breath of new air, full with enthusiasm. Like a fresh start, sort of.
In the closing moments of the 2024 season, May had a chance to make a comeback as the Dodgers won another World Series, but an unexpected surgery put a stop to his recuperation and eliminated any possibility that he would miss the full season.
A salad forced May into emergency surgery
Last summer, while recovering from his most recent Tommy John treatment, May suffered a damaged esophagus, ending his aspirations of returning in 2024.
After drinking a lot of water, May was unable to remove the piece of salad that had been lodged in his throat, which is how the event started, he told MLB.com.
When the water struck my throat, I felt like my entire body was on fire, May remarked.hurried to the emergency room. had a CAT scan. drank some contrast agent. Instead of going to my stomach, the contrast fluid went to my chest.
May claimed that at around midnight that night, he was sent to Phoenix for surgery, which was finished at around seven in the morning to heal the rupture in his esophagus. He had to stay in the hospital for 11 days in order to recuperate from the experience.
In one way or another, [the salad] just got stuck in my throat. May stated that it went out rather than down. That evening, I would have been dead.
Since 2023, Conor Ryan has worked as a staff writer for Boston.com, covering the Boston Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.
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