Brewers' Dustin May Trade is Aging Poorly

Aug 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Dustin May (21) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brewers' Dustin May Trade is Aging Poorly

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Sep 3, 2026 5:00 PM ET

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The Milwaukee Brewers are closing in on clinching a postseason berth and have command in the National League Central. They should ultimately be the ones that come out on top in the division and they even have a good chance of finishing with the best record in Major League Baseball for the second year in a row.

However, there are a few issues. They traded for Dustin May and JoJo Romero at the deadline, and while Romero is finally back from his appendix issue, May hasn't been able to put up solid numbers since leaving the St. Louis Cardinals.

Dayn Perry of CBS Sports listed the trade for May as one of the biggest deadline failures a month later.

"Acquired from the division-rival Cardinals at significant cost, May, a pending free agent, has not delivered so far as a Brewer," Perry wrote. "In five post-trade starts, May has put up an ERA of 6.41 in five trips to the mound since the trade, and he's averaged less than five innings per start over that span. The stuff and underlying fundamentals with the Cardinals were strong, so this is probably just the small sample size at work. As well, the Brewers are a pitching-forward organization – one of the best at such things. Thus far, though, May hasn't been the fortifying addition they hoped he'd be. "

Dustin May hasn't delivered for Milwaukee

While May wasn't exactly setting the world on fire in St. Louis, he hasn't been any better in Milwaukee. The 28-year-old right-hander is 6-9 with a 4.69 ERA on the season. The Cardinals signed him to a one-year, $12.5 million contract last offseason with a mutual option for 2027. It seems unlikely that the Brewers will be picking up their side of the option at the end of the season given the way he has pitched.

In St. Louis, May was 5-7 with a 4.38 ERA, but he just hasn't been able to replicate some of the success he had as a Cardinal in Milwaukee. Of course, this can happen at trade deadlines. Players sometimes struggle after being traded to a new team, as it can be a stressful time.

However, it might become a problem for the Brewers before too long, and that could ultimately cost him a spot on the postseason roster. The Brewers were hoping he could fortify their rotation, but it hasn't turned out that way so far.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Brewers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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