The St. Louis Cardinals secured a narrow 3–2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday afternoon in a Grapefruit League spring training matchup. With the win, St. Louis improved its spring training record to 7–4, giving the club another positive result during the early stages of preparation for the upcoming Major League Baseball season. While victories during spring training are always welcomed by teams and fans alike, the true value of these exhibition games lies elsewhere. The spring schedule primarily serves as an opportunity for players to sharpen their skills, build stamina, test adjustments, and demonstrate their abilities in hopes of earning roster spots or solidifying roles before Opening Day.
Within that context, several Cardinals players have been using their time on the field to make strong impressions, and right-handed pitcher Dustin May has been one of the most notable standouts. May delivered an impressive outing against Pittsburgh, throwing three scoreless innings as he helped guide the Cardinals to the win. During his appearance, the hard-throwing right-hander allowed only one hit and issued a single walk while recording one strikeout. More importantly, he once again showcased the kind of elite velocity that has made him such an intriguing pitcher throughout his professional career.
Observers and analysts paying close attention to the game noted the significant speed on May’s fastball. According to Sam Fosberg of Just Baseball, May averaged 97.8 miles per hour on his fastball during the outing. That number represents a considerable increase from his average velocity of 95.4 mph during the 2025 season, a jump of roughly 2.4 miles per hour. Although it is still early in spring training and the sample size remains relatively small, the uptick in velocity has generated excitement among those following the Cardinals. If May is able to maintain that level of speed consistently throughout the season, St. Louis may have acquired a pitcher capable of making a substantial impact on its pitching staff.
Of course, questions remain about whether he can sustain that level of velocity over a full season. Spring training performances sometimes fluctuate as players gradually build arm strength and adjust to competitive conditions. Nevertheless, the early signs are encouraging. Perhaps the most important takeaway from May’s appearance is that he appears healthy and physically capable of performing at a high level. Health has been a major storyline throughout his career, and injuries have repeatedly interrupted what once looked like the trajectory of a potential frontline starter.
May first gained widespread attention as a promising young pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Known for his distinctive red hair and electric stuff on the mound, he quickly emerged as one of the organization’s most intriguing arms. He was part of the Dodgers team that captured the World Series championship in 2020, an accomplishment that remains one of the highlights of his professional career. Over the years since that title run, May has accumulated six seasons of experience in the major leagues, pitching for both the Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox before eventually joining the Cardinals.
Across his career so far, May has compiled a record of 19 wins and 20 losses while maintaining a respectable 3.86 earned run average. Those numbers reflect a pitcher who has often shown flashes of strong performance but has struggled to put together extended stretches of durability due to recurring physical setbacks. Despite the interruptions, he has continued to demonstrate the potential that made him a highly regarded prospect earlier in his career.
The 2025 season represented a particularly important step forward for May. That year, he made a career-high 23 starts, the most he had ever made in a single season. Prior to 2025, the highest number of starts he had recorded in a season was just 10, which occurred during the 2020 campaign when the pandemic-shortened season limited the number of games played across the league. For a pitcher who had spent several years battling injuries and inconsistent availability, reaching 23 starts was a meaningful sign of progress and durability.
Looking back at his career timeline illustrates just how frequently injuries disrupted his development. In 2021, May was limited to only five appearances as physical issues prevented him from taking the mound consistently. The following season in 2022 saw him make just six appearances, again falling short of the workload typically expected of a starting pitcher. In 2023, he managed nine appearances but still struggled to remain fully healthy. Then came perhaps the most difficult setback: he missed the entire 2024 season due to injury, forcing him to spend the year rehabilitating rather than competing at the major league level.
Given that history, the ability to complete 23 starts in 2025 represented a significant achievement and an encouraging sign that he might finally be turning a corner in terms of durability. During that season, May threw 132.1 innings and recorded 123 strikeouts. While those numbers were solid, the increase in velocity observed this spring could potentially help him elevate his performance even further. A faster fastball often leads to more swing-and-miss opportunities, and if May can pair his velocity with improved command, he may be able to boost his strikeout totals and become a more dominant presence on the mound.
Recognizing both his potential and the possibility of a strong rebound season, the Cardinals made a calculated move during the offseason by signing May to a one-year contract worth $12.5 million. The deal represents a relatively low-risk investment for the organization. If May performs well and remains healthy, the Cardinals could receive excellent value from the contract. At the same time, the short-term nature of the agreement provides flexibility should circumstances change.
As the team prepares for the start of the regular season, May is widely expected to occupy a spot in the Cardinals’ Opening Day rotation. In fact, there is even a chance that he could be chosen as the team’s Opening Day starter if his strong spring performances continue. Earning that role would mark an important milestone in his career and signal the confidence the organization has in his abilities.
The Cardinals’ rotation picture for the upcoming season includes several other pitchers who will likely play key roles. Andre Pallante and Matthew Liberatore are both expected to be part of the starting staff alongside May. Meanwhile, a group of other pitchers is competing for the remaining rotation spots as spring training continues. Among those vying for opportunities are Kyle Leahy, Quinn Mathews, Richard Fitts, and Hunter Dobbins. The competition among these pitchers adds an additional layer of intrigue to the team’s preparations, as strong performances in spring games could ultimately determine who secures a place on the roster.
For May, the upcoming season represents more than just another opportunity to pitch—it could shape the next phase of his career. At 28 years old, he is still relatively young for a starting pitcher and theoretically has several productive seasons ahead of him. If he delivers strong performances early in the season, he could become a key piece of the Cardinals’ pitching staff as they pursue success in a competitive National League landscape.
However, the nature of his one-year contract also introduces another possibility. Should May perform exceptionally well during the first half of the season, the Cardinals could find themselves with a valuable trade asset as the midseason trade deadline approaches. Teams seeking pitching help for a playoff push often look for experienced starters who can provide immediate contributions, and a healthy, effective May would likely attract considerable interest across the league.
In that scenario, the Cardinals might choose to trade him in exchange for younger prospects, helping the organization strengthen its long-term talent pipeline. Such a move would align with the common strategy of acquiring future assets in exchange for short-term contributors when a team is focused on building for the future.
On the other hand, the Cardinals could decide that May’s performance and potential make him worth keeping beyond the current season. If he demonstrates that he can stay healthy and pitch effectively over a full campaign, the team might attempt to negotiate a longer-term contract that would keep him in St. Louis for several years. Because he is still in his late twenties, May could reasonably fit into the team’s plans both in the present and in the near future.
Ultimately, much will depend on how the season unfolds. For now, the early signs during spring training are encouraging for both May and the Cardinals. His strong outing against the Pirates and the noticeable increase in fastball velocity have generated optimism that he may be poised for a productive season. If he can continue building on that momentum while maintaining his health, he could play a significant role in shaping the Cardinals’ pitching staff and overall performance during the upcoming year.
While spring training results rarely determine the course of an entire season, moments like May’s impressive outing offer glimpses of what might be possible. For a pitcher who has endured years of setbacks and injuries, simply taking the mound and throwing with such power and confidence represents an encouraging step forward. As the regular season approaches, both the Cardinals and their fans will be watching closely to see whether Dustin May can transform this promising spring start into a successful and sustained comeback.
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