Once considered one of the most exciting up-and-coming pitching prospects in baseball, new Milwaukee Brewers starter Dustin May's fall from grace was shocking and unexpected. The 28-year-old righty posted a career 3.10 ERA over five seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers before injuries got in the way of his trajectory. But now that he appears to be fully healthy and has begun his integration into one of the best defensive teams in the MLB, May seems to be back on track.
And there's no better place for him to return to form than Milwaukee, which is home to one of the best pitching and player development staffs in the league. For every player that comes into their system, the Brewers seem to have several ideas about how to improve their mechanics and delivery to help even an accomplished veteran like May adapt on the fly.
But it hasn't been an easy road for May, who has battled in his recovery and bounced around the league trying to find his place. By the time he arrived in Milwaukee, it felt like he was already on the back end of that journey, with the underlying metrics pointing toward his power being back and his ability to strike out batters coming back to fruition. This makes him one of the most fascinating players to watch as we head into the postseason.
Dustin May has the tools to make a major impact on the Milwaukee Brewers down the stretch.
May has been on the wrong end of some bad luck in recent years. His return from Tommy John surgery was delayed in 2024 when he suffered a freak injury, an esophageal tear, when food got lodged in his throat while eating dinner. He spent the season and a half bouncing between four different teams — the Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and now, the Brewers.
During that stretch, May has posted a disappointing 4.66, but that doesn't tell the full story. He's been steadily regaining the power behind his fastball, and all the while his numbers continued to improve. He has seven games with at least seven strikeouts this season, and has allowed two or fewer earned runs in more than half of his appearances.
Per Baseball Savant, May ranks in the 85th percentile of fastball velocity and 92nd percentile of fastball run value, proving his trusted heater is rounding back into form when he needs it most.
This is the best opportunity May could ask for to rebuild his value and prove that the last few seasons have been a fluke. Meanwhile, May has been part of a World Series victory in 2020 with Los Angeles, and has seen up close what it takes to win at the highest level. The Milwaukee Brewers need some seasoned veterans to help a young, hungry bullpen learn what it takes to compete late in October, so May's addition could be just as valuable off the field as he is on it.
And if this works out how the Brewers hope it will, May will return to his status as one of the most effective starters in the league, further asserting Milwaukee as having the best bullpen in baseball.
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