Cardinals Should Bring Back Veteran Pitcher After Trade to Brewers

This veteran was one of St. Louis' most dependable starters before the deadline.

Sep 18, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Dustin May (21) pitches in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals finished their season 77-85 after initiating a rebuild last offseason, only one game worse than their finish in 2025. Despite their record, they took a lot of steps forward as an organization, igniting hope for 2027 and beyond.

They were sellers at the trade deadline, with their biggest move being the trade to send Dustin May and JoJo Romero to the Milwaukee Brewers. May was signed in the offseason to a one-year contract.

He has a mutual option for next season, but those require both sides to accept their end, which means May will likely return to free agency. If he does, the Cardinals would be wise to bring him back.

Cardinals should bring back Dustin May

Sep 22, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Dustin May (21) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

May went 7-9 with a 4.70 ERA in 31 starts this season. The three-time World Series champion struggled with the Brewers in the second half, but performed well in St. Louis, and his final ERA for the year was lower than what he finished with in 2025.

He also stayed healthy for the full season, something he hadn't done in a long time. He likely won't be a very expensive starter in free agency when the time comes. It's also safe to assume that the Cardinals will not be in the market for arms like Tarik Skubal and Sonny Gray.

To be fair, the Cardinals have a lot of starting pitching depth, so they don't necessarily need to sign one this winter. But with Gray and Skubal unlikely, May is the best of the bunch that is within their price range, and he finally proved that he can stay healthy for a full season, so he's somebody that would make sense as a veteran for the staff.

May also constantly talked about how he enjoyed his time in St. Louis, so he likely will not be opposed to making a return. He could then once again be flipped at the trade deadline for prospects just as he was this year.

The young pitchers would benefit from having May's veteran presence around again, so it would make sense to bring him back on a one-year contract.

For now, he'll pitch for the Brewers in the postseason, but he could certainly benefit from being back at a pitcher-friendly environment such as Busch Stadium in 2027. We'll see if Chaim Bloom decides to bring back the veteran right-hander to boost his rotation.