Cardinals' Dustin May Trade Looks Even Better Now

The Cardinals may have struck gold.

Aug 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Dustin May (21) during pregame against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals were sellers at the trade deadline this year, and that included parting ways with right-hander Dustin May and left-hander JoJo Romero. Both were packaged in a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, and in exchange, St. Louis added two top prospects in Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale.

The farm system looks even better now than it did earlier this season, and there is a lot for St. Louis to look forward to when it comes to the future. But the deal looks even better now. May has not performed well with the Brewers since being acquired at the deadline.

Cardinals made right call trading Dustin May

Since joining the Brewers, May has allowed 10 runs in 15 innings. That adds up to a 6.00 ERA. At the same time, Romero has still not returned from his appendectomy, which effectively ended his time in St. Louis.

Meanwhile, Frias and Ragsdale are ranked No. 4 and No. 11 on the Cardinals top 30 prospects list, respectively. Both have power from the left side and are outfielders that could boost the offense in the near future.

In truth, May and Romero likely will not be back with the Brewers in 2027, but Frias and Ragsdale should be in the Cardinals system for years to come. The future is bright in St. Louis for a change. It's been almost over a decade since they have had a top farm system in Major League Baseball, and it got even stronger thanks to the May trade.

Again, May has struggled since joining the Brewers. It's a small sample size, but he hasn't quite been himself since the deal. The fact that the Cardinals got what they did for him is nothing short of impressive.

Chaim Bloom was brought in to strengthen the farm system, and he has done just that by making some important trades and drafting some solid players. It will be interesting to see how the deal plays out in the long run, but the trade of May is looking even better now than it did on deadline day.

Frias is hitting .323/.409/.518 with a .927 OPS, nine home runs and 68 RBI this season in the minors, while Ragsdale is hitting .301/.421/.552 with a .973 OPS, 21 home runs and 56 RBI, so there is a lot to like about the haul St. Louis got for their rental veteran pitchers.

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