The St. Louis Cardinals managed to win a tough game against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night and will now begin a three-game weekend series against the Chicago Cubs.
They rallied from a 5-3 deficit to win against the Braves, and the bullpen stepped up after Dustin May’s exit from the game. May allowed five runs in less than an inning and was replaced with two outs, but also had been struck in the ankle with a comebacker.
X-Rays came back clean, but the Cardinals got another positive update on May from Jeff Jones of the Belleville News Democrat.
“Both (Oli) Marmol and Dustin May said he’s feeling a little better than expected this morning. Was planning to play catch and test the ankle shortly, though there’s a thunderstorm settling over Wrigley at the moment,” Jones posted on X.
Cardinals Get Positive Update on Dustin May
The rain at Wrigley Field might prevent May from being able to test the ankle on Friday. However, as long as the weather holds up on Saturday, perhaps he could be able to test it out.
May struggled to remain on his feet after the comebacker hit him, and though he originally stayed in the game, he limped off the field in Atlanta when Marmol pulled him in the first inning.
The 28-year-old right-hander is 5-6 with a 4.80 ERA in 16 starts. He has struggled in his last two outings since throwing a one-hit shutout against the San Diego Padres.
Still, it will be important for him to get healthy. A stint on the injured list is always possible for the right-hander, but if the Cardinals are selling at the trade deadline, he would be an obvious trade chip.
The veteran right-hander is on an expiring contract, and the Cardinals are going to listen to offers for him. His value could potentially go down a little after a few rough starts.
However, the Cardinals got a positive update on him, so it appears that he will be okay and perhaps even avoid the injured list. The Cardinals rotation has been a problem this year, but May has been one of the few bright spots.
The Cardinals are going to need him back soon if they want to keep their winning ways going, as they have played a lot better than expected this season, but it will be interesting to see how he feels in a few days.
May As a Trade Chip
Because of his recent struggles, May’s trade value may be down a little bit, but he has shown a lot of promise this season, and rental starting pitching often comes in high demand. If that is the case again this year at the trade deadline, the Cardinals have a chance to bring back a solid prospect or two and further their efforts to rebuild.
May likely won’t be back in St. Louis in 2027 anyways, so it makes sense to capitalize on the value he does have while they still can. The Cardinals seem to be pointed towards selling.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Cardinals Get Positive Update on Dustin May After Injury Scare appeared first on HEAVY.