Dodgers’ Dustin May Overcome With Emotion After Return From Near-Death Experience

Dustin May struck out Oscar Gonzalez to end the first inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cactus League game Sunday afternoon and pointed to the sky. He then buried his face in his cap as he walked off the field.

That moment was a long time coming for May.

The right-hander hadn’t thrown in a game since May 2023 and his life was turned upside-down in the time since then. He underwent a Tommy John revision surgery and had emergency surgery on a ruptured esophagus.

One inning of work in an 8-5 win over the San Diego Padres was all May needed to let out the emotions he had been storing for more than a year.

“It felt amazing just to be back,” May said after the game. “A huge, huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, it feels like. Just getting back in the dugout afterward – even if it wouldn’t have been a clean inning – just getting back in the dugout and feeling good and being here, it was really, really heavy.”

The first two batters reached base on a single and a hit-by-pitch but May didn’t care. He only had one thought running through his mind after getting Gonzalez to whiff on a 95 mph four-seamer.

“I’m alive. I’m glad I’m here,” May said. “It was just a breath of fresh air, like a new beginning.”

In January, May adjusted his slider grip to enhance his already powerful arsenal. He feels his stuff remains as sharp as ever, having compiled a 12-9 record with a 3.10 ERA over 46 appearances (35 starts) since his MLB debut in 2019.

“Everything is back to normal,” May said. “The velocity is where it is at. All the shapes and metrics and releases and everything are back to normal.”

As far as what his role could be this season, May could be either a starter or a reliever. It just depends on what the team needs him to be.

“I’m glad to be here and glad to be out there,” May said. “I’m just here for the ride.”

Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

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