The Milwaukee Brewers didn’t land Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline, but the team did land some much-needed pitching depth.
In a rare in-division trade with the rival St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee landed two pitchers. One of which was starter Dustin May, who has put together a very nice season this year.
May signed a one-year, $12.5 million deal to join the Cardinals over the offseason, but he was always expected to be a trade chip. St. Louis was able to get the most out of May before shipping him to Milwaukee.
In 21 starts for the Cardinals, May has posted a 4.38 ERA, throwing 109.0 innings. May has struck out 106 batters during this time, showcasing strong punch-out stuff on the mound.
Dustin May Brewers Debut Set
The team has announced that May will make his Brewers debut on Thursday this week against the Pittsburgh Pirates at home. This will give the Brewers faithful a chance to welcome their new right-hander to the team.
Dustin May will start for the Brewers on Thursday, the team announced.
â Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) August 4, 2026
Having May face the Pirates will allow him a chance to take on a familiar opponent from the season. May has seen Pittsburgh twice this season, with him putting together two very different starts.
In April, May threw six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits against the Pirates. But in May, the right-hander threw 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits against Pittsburgh.
How Dustin May Can Help Brewers
Milwaukee was very happy to land May from the Cardinals, giving their starting rotation a boost. After losing right-hander Brandon Woodruff to season-ending shoulder surgery, there were real questions around the Brewers’ rotation.
But May gives them more depth, and someone who, when healthy, can be electric on the mound. May has been held back by injury problems over his career, but he was once seen as a top prospect for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The right-hander has struck out 23.1 percent of batters faced this year, compared to a 7.6% walk rate while posting a league-average ground-ball rate. After a strong start, he has faltered a little over his last six starts, with the right-hander posting a 4.62 ERA during this time.
Despite this, the Brewers can easily slot May into the middle of the rotation next to ace Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison, once the latter gets healthy. May could be a perfect No. 3 or No. 4 starter for this team, helping them go after a World Series title.
Milwaukee currently has the best record in the league, and they are again a feared commodity in the National League. But the big question has been how this unit will fare in the playoffs, especially after Misiorowski in the rotation.
Over his career, May owns a 1-0 record with a 3.86 ERA and 14 strikeouts in nice postseason appearances. The right-hander could end up being one of the stronger options for the Brewers come playoff time, even if he isn’t the big splash move some wanted.
Milwaukee’s front office has typically shied away from making blockbuster trades, especially for rentals. But May could offer a nice combination of talent and upside for the Brewers, helping them make another run this season.
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