Cardinals Play It Safe, Skip Dustin May's Scheduled Start vs. Marlins

The St. Louis Cardinals are skipping Dustin May in the rotation for this cycle.

Jun 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) reacts after throwing a complete game one hitter against the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

If you are a St. Louis Cardinals fan hoping to see Dustin May on the mound this weekend, you're going to have to wait until next week.

May initially was scheduled to take the hill on Saturday against the Miami Marlins. But Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reported on Friday that May's start is being skipped and instead he's expected to take the mound in the upcoming Atlanta Braves series due to "back tightness."

"Cardinals are skipping Dustin May’s start tomorrow. He had some lower back tightness in KC after the complete game prior. [Andre Pallante] tomorrow, [Kyle Leahy] Sunday. May will start the third game in Atlanta."

The Cardinals Are Skipping Dustin May's Start

Jun 21, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dustin May (3) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

May's last start came on June 21 against the Kansas City Royals. The fact that he dealt with back tightness during the game now makes that start make much more sense. May pitched just two innings and allowed six earned runs, including two homers. Before that start, he had gone two straight starts without allowing a run, including an excellent complete game shutout and one-hitter against the San Diego Padres on June 15.

May struggled in his first two starts, but then pitched to a 2.54 ERA over his next 12 before his blowup against the Royals.

Fortunately, it doesn't sound like anything to worry about at this time. The Cardinals will begin a three-game series against the Braves on Tuesday. If May is going to start the third game of the series, that would line him up to pitch on July 2.

The last thing that the Cardinals need right now is an injury to May. First and foremost, he has been very good overall for the Cardinals this season. He has a 4.30 ERA in 15 starts, but 12 of those 15 starts have been very good. Also, with the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline getting closer and closer, May is someone to watch and who could bring a haul back to St. Louis if he's moved. May is just 28 years old, has been healthy so far this season, has been good this season, and has plenty of playoff experience under his belt as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. But if he gets hurt, that will limit his trade value.

When it comes to May, the talent has always been there. He made his big league debut all the way back in 2019 with Los Angeles and has flashed front-of-the-rotation stuff throughout his career. But injuries derailed his career in Los Angeles. He pitched in 20 games total between the 2021 and 2024 seasons, including missing the entire 2024 campaign. Because of this, injuries are even more under a microscope with May.

Hopefully, he's able to go against Atlanta and this is just a blip on the radar.