Brandon Gomes: Dodgers Traded Dustin May Due To Preferred Role

The Los Angeles concluded the 2025 MLB trade deadline by dealing Dustin May to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for outfield prospects James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard.

It was the only major subtraction the Dodgers made from their Major League roster. James Outman was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Brock Stewart, but he had only played in 22 games for the team this season.

Amid indications that May seemingly was available, multiple teams were said to have increased their scouting efforts as the trade deadline approached.

May has been serviceable at times this season, but otherwise suffered from inconsistency. He owns a 4.85 ERA and 4.69 FIP to go along with 8.39 strikeouts per nine and 3.72 walks per nine in 104 innings pitched.

With Blake Snell returning to the rotation on Saturday, May seemed to be destined for a move to the bullpen if his time with the Dodgers were to continue.

Now that the trade deadline has passed, the Dodgers’ projected six-man rotation will comprise of Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw and Emmet Sheehan.

Despite his limited time getting a chance to pitch in the Majors due to injuries, May has already accrued enough service time to become a free agent after the 2025.

Dodgers GM explains Dustin May trade

For various reasons, May was seemingly going to be the odd man out in the rotation moving forward.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said the organization could have utilized the right-hander in a bullpen role, but went through with a trade because of May’s preference to remain a starter.

Notably, May did not request a trade. Rather, the Dodgers chose to do right by him and give him a chance to start elsewhere.

“We had a lot of really respectful conversations with D-May. He’s been a huge part of the organization for a long time. Through those conversations, it was apparent that starting was very important to him,” Gomes revealed.

“So while we felt like he could’ve been a contributor out of the bullpen and an impact-type piece, trying to understand the mindset and his desire to continue to start, we took that into consideration. If there was a deal we felt like made sense, we were going to be open to do it. So that’s kind of how it came together. I think it worked out for both sides.”