Dodgers’ Dustin May Breaks Silence Following First Game Back vs Padres
The Los Angeles Dodgers saw a familiar face on the mound in their first win of the 2025 Cactus League.
It can be hard to keep up with all of the talented players on the Dodgers roster given their dominant offseason, but a pitcher who has been hampered with injuries — some extremely rare and life-threatening — is finally back.
Dustin May has been one of L.A.’s up and coming pitchers for a while now. The right-hander was the No. 2 Dodgers prospect in 2020.
With only a handful of appearances to his name, May was looking to take a huge step in his development last season. Coming off a 2023 that saw him start in a productive way, but was then sidelined early to undergo a flexor tendon surgery and Tommy John revision, May was about a week away from starting a minor-league rehab assignment.
One bite of salad almost ended the young pitcher’s life.
May had to undergo emergency surgery to repair a torn esophagus due to the errant piece of salad and was sidelined indefinitely, despite being so close to finally pitching again.
Instead, the 27-year-old was hospitalized for 11 days in July 2024 and couldn’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for the next 10 weeks after the newest surgery.
The road has been long and painful, both mentally and physically. May has gone through more in the last two years than many professional athletes do in a full career, let alone the average person not hurling 95 mph fastballs for a living.
During Sunday’s spring training contest against the San Diego Padres, May finally approached the mound and elation ensued.
“It felt amazing to be back,” May said postgame. “Huge, huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. … I’m alive. I’m glad I’m here. It was just a breath of fresh air, like a new beginning.”
May also took to social media to share images from the spring victory with the caption: “Incase anyone missed it…..IM BACK”
With such a stacked Dodgers pitching staff, a finally healthy May looks to earn the final starting spot in the rotation and compete once again in a Dodgers uniform.
Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
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