LA pitcher May headed for TJ surgery
His season is over; ‘It’s a big blow,’ Dodgers manager Roberts says
CHICAGO — Dustin May got an MRI on Monday morning, and that was it. His season was over. May will have Tommy John surgery next week, leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers without one of baseball’s top young pitchers for the rest of their title defense.
“It’s a big blow,” manager Dave
Roberts said before the team’s series opener against the host Cubs was postponed because of inclement weather in the forecast. “But we’ve got a lot of talented players, and we just got to find a way to fill that void.”
The 23-year-old May was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday, a day after the righthander winced in pain on the mound and was forced to leave a start at Milwaukee.
The World Series champion Dodgers, already beset by several injuries to their pitching staff, said Dr. Neal El Attrache will perform May’s ligament reconstruction surgery May 11 in Los Angeles.
“It’s obviously very disappointing,” Roberts said. “He’s handling it like a pro. You know, wants to figure out what’s the next step after surgery and kind of attack it that way.”
May threw just 27 pitches before leaving Saturday’s 11-inning loss to Milwaukee. After his final pitch, May reacted with obvious discomfort, took a few steps and called for attention.
He was 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA in five starts this season. He has a career mark of 6-5 with a 2.93 ERA in 31 appearances, including 19 starts, since making his debut in August 2019.
Last year, May pitched seven times in the postseason, including twice in the World Series against Tampa Bay. He made three starts for short stints in the earlier rounds of the NL playoffs.
“When you’re developing and now you get the year cut short, that impacts development,” Roberts said. “What Dustin has done is he’s just matured more as a major league ballplayer.”
May joins a crowd of Dodgers pitchers on the injured list that includes Caleb Ferguson (left elbow surgery), Tony Gonsolin (right shoulder inflammation), Brusdar Graterol (right forearm tightness), Tommy Kahnle (Tommy John surgery), Joe Kelly (shoulder inflammation), Corey Knebel (right lat strain) and David Price (right hamstring strain).
The Dodgers still have one of the majors’ best rotations, with NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer, Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler and Julio Urías.
Kershaw and Bauer will pitch when Los Angeles makes up the postponement with a split doubleheader against Chicago on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Kyle Hendricks will face Kershaw in Game 1, and the Cubs did not announce their starter for the second game.
Monday games
CARDINALS 6, METS 5: In St. Louis, Nolan Arenado and Harrison Bader homered, Adam Wainwright hung tough and St. Louis beat New York for its fifth straight win.
The Cardinals have also moved into a first-place tie with Milwaukee in the NL Central thanks to the Brewers’ loss to Philadelphia.
Wainwright (1-3), activated from the COVID-19 list to make the start, fell behind 5-2 in the third inning. But he didn’t give up any more runs before leaving with two outs in the sixth, and the bullpen preserved his first win of the season.
Genesis Cabrera and Giovanny Gallegos combined for 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Alex Reyes worked around a pair of walks in the ninth to earn his eighth save — he has not allowed an earned run in 14 1/3 innings this season.
After the game, the scuffling Mets fired hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater. The loss dropped New York to 11-12.
PHILLIES 4, BREWERS 3: In Philadelphia, Vince Velasquez threw six sharp innings and J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run homer as Philadelphia beat Milwaukee.
Velasquez (1-0) allowed one run and four hits, striking out six in his longest outing this season. Hector Neris struck out Lorenzo Cain with the bases loaded in the ninth to preserve the win.
Brewers starter Adrian Houser (2-3) gave up four runs —- two earned — and four hits in six innings of work.
TWINS 6, RANGERS 5: In Minneapolis, Kenta Maeda steered himself back on track by keeping Texas scoreless into the sixth inning as Minnesota won the opener of a fourgame series.
Maeda (2-2) had a season-high eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, allowing only two singles and two walks in what was by far the best of his six starts this season.
ATHLETICS 5, BLUE JAYS 4: In Oakland, Calif., Ramon Laureano homered for the third consecutive day as Oakland beat Toronto for its second straight victory.
Stephen Piscotty also went deep for Oakland.
Jed Lowrie doubled twice and had three hits for the A’s.
INDIANS 8, ROYALS 6: In Kansas City, Mo., Eddie Rosario swatted a ball into the right-field stands for a tie-breaking three-run homer as Cleveland beat Kansas City.
Josh Naylor added a two-run shot off Royals reliever Jakob Junis (1-2) two batters later.
Bryan Shaw (1-0) coughed up a run in relief of Indians starter Aaron Civale, and James Karinchak gave up Hunter Dozier’s two-run homer later in the seventh, before their bullpen finally wrapped up the win.
Note
ROCKIES: Colorado has appointed Bill Schmidt as its interim GM after parting ways with Jeff Bridich.
Schmidt has been with the team for nearly 22 years and has been in his current role of vice president of scouting since Jan. 2, 2007.