The Boston Red Sox acquired right-handed pitcher Dustin May at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Dodgers, and since then, he hasn't been the greatest. Over his only four starts in Boston, he has grown more and more into a liability after each appearance.
They have already dealt with a similar problem this entire season, which was struggling hurler Walker Buehler. May has had command issues and hasn't been able to get out of the sixth inning since arriving. That one extra inning makes a huge difference, as it can tire out the bullpen. Can it be sustainable with their last two starters? Possibly, but it's not a guarantee.
Another problem with May is that he's been home run-prone all year, and that leads to his lack of consistency this season. He wasn't one of the best pitchers acquired at the deadline, but he could've been a steal if he had been able to work those kinks out. So far, it has yet to come.
Red Sox Must Cut Dustin May's Playing Time in September
With September approaching in a couple of days, the Red Sox will need to make hard decisions. They'll need to adjust and move pitchers around, and give offensive players their permanent roles for the rest of the season (if they haven't already). For May, he should be moved to the bullpen, and Kyle Harrison should be called up to fill in that fifth slot.
The Red Sox can have a maximum of 14 pitchers on their roster. So far, they have their core seven relievers that are a lock: Justin Slaten, Justin Wilson, Greg Weissert, Brennan Bernardino, Steven Matz, Garrett Whitlock, and, of course, Aroldis Chapman. Adding five starters (including Harrison) in there, along with Dustin May and Walker Buehler, that's seven more players. In total, that's 14, and that's all that they need.
Many would argue this: "What about Richard Fitts when he comes back?" Well, he's had a 5.00 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) this season and has struggled to prove his worth to manager Alex Cora. So if Fitts comes back (if they even let him come back) this season, then he'll be immediately demoted back to Triple-A Worcester.
That would be the best-case scenario for both the Red Sox and for Dustin May. He's more comfortable as a reliever (much like his similar counterpart, Tanner Houck) because of his funky windup and struggle with command deep into games. It worked with Nick Pivetta; why can't it work here?