The Boston Red Sox took a gamble on Dustin May at last year’s trade deadline. Just a few months later, it’s clear the experiment failed — and Boston can’t afford to make the same mistake twice.
Dustin May, 28, enjoyed success with the Dodgers during his stint in Los Angeles. Since being drafted in 2016, May has been a consistent starting pitcher and helped the Dodgers win the 2020 World Series.
Shortly after the trade that brought the starter to Boston, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow highlighted the 28-year-old's playoff success.
""In Dustin May, we feel like we've got a tried and true and battle-tested starting pitcher coming from an organization that's had a ton of postseason success, and somebody who can step into our rotation and add to our pitching group.""Craig Breslow
Unfortunately for May, his time with the Red Sox might have come to an end just as soon as it began. In six games (five starts), May went 1-4 with a 5.40 ERA. To make matters worse, he suffered an elbow injury on Sept. 3 and was placed on the 15-day injured list, which brought an end to his season.
In May’s absence, the Red Sox leaned on their youth movement by calling up three premier pitching prospects, Payton Tolle, Connolly Early, and Kyle Harrison. All of whom showed glimpses that they can be everyday starters next year.
The Boston Red Sox’s rotation appears to be set next season with Garrett Crochet, Bryan Bello, and Lucas Giolito at the top, with plenty of internal options to fill out the rest of the rotation. Between the returning veterans and the young arms emerging from Worcester, there’s simply no room — or reason — to give May another shot. With May likely to draw interest from pitching-needy teams in free agency, Boston should let another club take that risk.
Boston’s rotation no longer needs a question mark like May. It needs reliability, youth, and upside — three qualities that May doesn’t offer anymore. The Red Sox took their shot on May, but this winter, they need to let him walk and trust the arms that actually earned their innings. If Breslow truly wants to build a sustainable contender, it starts with moving on from short-term band-aids and believing in the young talent that’s already proving it belongs.