Cardinals Can't Afford to Make This Mistake with Dustin May

The Cardinals have to stay true to their plan.

Jun 2, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) walks off the field after he was removed from the game against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals signed Dustin May to a one-year, $12.5 million contract to boost their rotation last offseason. So far, he has been everything they hoped he would be. Despite a rough start on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals, he still has been one of their most consistent starting pitchers.

His complete-game shutout last week against the San Diego Padres is the highlight of his Cardinals career so far. However, he is on an expiring contract, and the Cardinals have a decision to make with him at the trade deadline.

There is one mistake Chaim Bloom cannot afford to make with May this season.

Cardinals Should Not Extend Dustin May

Feb 27, 2020; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox general manager Chaim Bloom takes questions from reporters during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

May is in the final year of his contract, and the Cardinals are not in a position to buy at the trade deadline. Their best option is to either sell or stand pat. But extending May would be a mistake.

While he is healthy this year for the first time in a while, he still carries a lot of injury risk. He missed almost three full seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021 and also suffering a torn esophagus.

The Cardinals would run the risk of him getting hurt again and missing more time while also being forced to pay him a big salary on his next contract. Meanwhile, they could miss their best opportunity to get something good for him in return at the trade deadline.

The Cardinals could certainly make the playoffs this season, but even if they do so and don't trade him, they don't stack up well against teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies. Their pitching just isn't strong enough.

So, that is why trading May makes the most sense, so that they can focus on the future. Extending him might derail their plans to rebuild and put them in a bad spot for the future, as May's health is far from a guarantee, and they would run the risk of not being able to get anything in exchange for him.

Perhaps they could re-sign him to a short-term deal in the offseason or give him a qualifying offer if he is not traded, but an extension comes with a great risk, and it's one that the Cardinals cannot afford taking, especially considering where they are right now as an organization. There is simply too much at stake.