Dodgers starter Dustin May is on the injury list with a flexor-pronator (elbow) strain after walking out of Wednesday’s game against the Twins after the first inning with right elbow pain, manager Dave Roberts said. Here’s what you need to know:
- May underwent surgery on the same elbow by Tommy John in May 2021. Initial tests showed May’s UCL appear unaffected by the injury, a Major League source told The Athletic.
- Roberts said May’s missing month was “the bottom” but didn’t want to speculate beyond that.
- May’s speed was declining in the first inning, peaking at 95.8 mph; He was replaced at the mound by Dylan Covey. Between the innings, May met up with Roberts and pitching coach Mark Prior. Then he went down the tunnel.
- May is 4-1 this season with a 2.68 ERA and 32 strikeouts.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
How hard is that for the Dodgers’ rotation?
It’s huge. The right-hander had lived up to his potential this spring, using his first regular break from the season in years to look like a true regular in the rotation. He had remodeled his arsenal, changing the shape of some of his breaking pitches and changing how he used pitches, all with impressive results. He looked like the arm he was promised when he emerged as a talented pitching contender.
But now, just 15 starts after returning from surgery at Tommy John in 2021, he hit a top speed of just 95.8mph and left his start early with right elbow pain. After a brief discussion with Roberts and Prior, he exited the tunnel after the first inning.
The Dodgers rotation needed him. Clayton Kershaw has led the club in innings at the age of 35 and Julio Urías has established himself as an ace on the fringes of his walk year in free agency, but May and Tony Gonsolin represented the arms that could boost that rotation even further . – Ardaya
The obvious choice is right-hander Gavin Stone, who made his debut against the Phillies this month and has a 10-strikeout performance in Tuesday night’s Triple A. Stone was expected to make a major contribution to this rotation sometime this season and now has an opportunity to make that impact during the critical months of this summer. Michael Grove (groin) and Ryan Pepiot (oblique) have each played batsmen again in their rehab process, but would need a rehab session before returning. Bobby Miller, another top-100 contender, was slow this spring with shoulder problems and struggled in his early starts at Triple A.
The Dodgers may have a well-stocked pitching staff at Double-A Tulsa, but players like Landon Knack, Nick Frasso, River Ryan, Emmet Sheehan, and Nick Nastrini would likely need to prove themselves at Triple-A before they’re seriously considered in. — Ardaya
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(Photo: Harry How/Getty)