Dodgers Predicted to Cut Ties with 6-Year Veteran Hurler by Trade Deadline

As the trade deadline rapidly approaches, a handful of Los Angeles Dodgers are waiting to learn their fate.

Obviously, the Shohei Ohtanis and Freddie Freemans of the world aren’t going anywhere. But anyone who hasn’t been performing up to a championship standard has to have their head on a swivel.

In particular, there’s one starting pitcher who might find his spot in the rotation rescinded soon as the Dodgers look to open up roster spots for potential trade acquisitions.

On Friday, The Athletic projected one player per team who would be traded by the Thursday deadline, and Dodgers beat reporter Fabian Ardaya selected starting pitcher Dustin May, who will be a free agent at the end of the year.

“The Dodgers want to be bringing in arms to address their issues, not ship them out. But as their rotation gets healthier, some names are going to get squeezed out — including, potentially, May, who has not missed a turn through the Dodgers rotation and has remained healthy,” wrote Ardaya.

“The stuff remains tantalizing, but the production (4.73 ERA) hasn’t matched up. Perhaps the Dodgers try to cash in on the pending free agent while they address their bullpen need.”

May, 27, was once box office viewing every five days for the Dodgers, but he could never stay healthy. This is his sixth big-league season, and he’s already set new career-highs in appearances (18) and innings (99).

What’s more difficult to predict, though, is which teams might be desperate enough for arms the rest of the way to offer the Dodgers anything of value, since they’d only be getting May for two months.

Would May be part of a larger package, or simply a roster dump to open space for a big-name acquisition? Only time will tell.

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