Cardinals May Have Hit Jackpot With $12.5 Million Offseason Signing

The Cardinals have received some backlash for signing Dustin May, but it may have been the right decision...

Feb 14, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) arrives for a workout during spring training at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals seemingly committed to their rebuild this offseason by trading four of their best players away. Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Sonny Gray have all been moved as the Cardinals began planning for the future.

But they also added Dustin May from the Boston Red Sox to help fill out their rotation. May is coming off a down year in 2025 after missing the entire 2024 season with injuries.

The Athletic's Eno Sarris recently suggested May looks much improved this spring and he could be one command unlock away from a big year in St. Louis.

Dustin May looks much improved so far this spring

Feb 14, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) pitches during spring training at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

"Do you remember the old Dustin May? Gingergaard? The one with multiple fastballs with great velocity? The one who paired great strikeout and ground-ball rates? He might be back," Sarris wrote. "May’s velocity is up almost three ticks, which is enough to expect him to have better velocity this year than last. His changeup is harder. He’s brought the curveball out of the dustbin. He almost has two more inches of ride on the four-seamer, which is a pitch that was a differentiator for him when he was at his best.

"Why isn’t his strikeout rate better this spring if this is the case? It looks like he’s spraying that revamped four-seamer a little. He has a little command work to do over the next few weeks if he’s going to get back to being the guy who had ERAs in the twos with great strikeout rates and paired a lethal sinker/sweeper righty-killer combo with a great fastball/curveball duo against lefties."

The addition of May is a low risk, high reward move for the Cardinals. If he doesn't perform, it doesn't crush St. Louis because it doesn't need the $12.5 million for anybody else. But if he is much better than last year, they have a solid building block or a trade chip at the trade deadline.

But May looks much closer to the pitcher he was in 2023, when he posted a sub-3.00 ERA and a sub-1.00 WHIP than he does to the pitcher who struggled last year.

His entire arsenal is better now than it was last season. His velocity has ticked up a bit. Once he reels the command in a bit, he could be a force at the top of the rotation.