Dustin May - MIA?

The Cardinal Chronicle
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Dustin May, MIA? Not Exactly

When the Cardinals signed free agent right-hander Dustin May this winter, the move was viewed as one of the more intriguing additions of the offseason. A power arm with frontline upside, May immediately slotted into early spring projections for the rotation.

So when his name didn’t surface in Grapefruit League action — and no visible bullpen sessions were attached to his schedule — the question became inevitable:

Where is Dustin May?

According to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, there is no cause for alarm.

Jones reported that May is currently on an individualized throwing program designed to have him ready on time. Manager Oliver Marmol compared the approach to the one the club used with Sonny Gray over the last two seasons — a method that did not require early spring game action prior to March.

That comparison matters.

The Cardinals have shown a willingness to tailor ramp-up schedules for veteran arms, especially those with specific workload considerations. The organization’s priority is readiness for the regular season, not box scores in late February.

Meanwhile, left-hander Quinn Mathews is scheduled to start tomorrow in what appears to be May’s projected rotation slot. As Jones noted, a fair assumption is that May could slide into that spot the next time through the order.

In other words, this looks less like a mystery and more like a calculated pacing strategy.

Spring training often creates noise where patience is required. The Cardinals are clearly taking a long-view approach with May, and until there’s evidence otherwise, this appears to be a structured build-up rather than an absence.

For now, Dustin May isn’t missing.

He’s simply on his own clock