Dodgers News: Dustin May Earns Ultimate Compliment from Manager Dave Roberts
In this story:
A series sweep is always a welcome sight, but watching one of your impact arms dazzle in his season debut makes it all the more better. That's exactly where manager Dave Roberts found himself on Saturday. Roberts had a front row seat to May's first big league start since May of 2021 and the flame-throwing righty absolutely showed out.
May struck out the side in the first inning and finished the game with nine strikeouts across five scoreless innings. As far as a first start back for a pitcher coming off of Tommy John 15 months ago, it couldn't have gone any better.
After the game, Roberts was effusive in in his praise for the fireball hurler (quotes via The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya).
“As a pure talent, he’s a game-changer. (But) I just don’t want to be the one to put any undue expectations on him solely on talent. So he’s got to go out there and pitch well.”
Those quotes are a big departure from earlier in the week when Doc stated that he doesn't view May as a "savior" for the Dodgers. Apparently, being a game-changer and a savior are not mutually exclusive.
Doc noted how May's return gives the entire Dodgers team a big boost of confidence.
“This is a very confident young man who doesn’t run from it. I think that having a person believe in what he can do, and surpass any expectation that we might have for him, I think that gives us all confidence.”
Considering the fact that Walker Buehler is now officially out for the season, and Clayton Kershaw's back might not be able to be counted on moving forward, May is a breath of fresh air for a Dodgers staff that has to put all the pieces together for a deep October run.
He's not a savior, he's a game changer.
