Feb 14, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) pitches during spring training at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Cardinals Flamethrower Could Be Steal of the Offseason

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 28, 2026 8:31 AM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals entered the offseason with a clear thought in mind: pitching, pitching and more pitching.

The Cardinals signed two different veteran hurlers in free agency in Dustin May and Ryne Stanek. Also, the Cardinals acquired a handful of arms in their various trades throughout the offseason. It was the right direction to go. If you think about the last three seasons, they weren't great for St. Louis from a pitching perspective, which arguably is the biggest reason for the club's struggles. The Cardinals rolled the dice on arms all over the place, including Richard Fitts, Hunter Dobbins, Jurrangelo Cijntje, Brandon Clarke and Yhoiker Fajardo, among others.

If a few of these moves pan out, the Cardinals' rotation in 2026 arguably will be better than it was over the last few seasons. Fitts is someone the fanbase should have a lot of excitement for right now. Another guy who could end up being a steal in free agency is May. He is a 6'6'' flamethrower who is just 28 years old. He came up in the Los Angeles Dodgers' system and had a 3.10 ERA from 2019 through 2023, injuries hindered him to just 46 total appearances.

Dustin May could be the steal of the offseason if healthy

Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

May then missed the entire 2024 season before logging a 4.96 ERA in a career high 132 1/3 innings in 2025 with the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox. Now, he's another year removed from the injury that knocked him out for the 2024 season and is building up and has been exciting. Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat shared on X that May is already hitting 99 miles per hour in camp.

"[Oli Marmol] shared postgame that the radar data on Dustin May’s sim game today had his fastball sitting 97-98 and touching 99, which is also what they’ve seen in bullpens," Jones wrote on X.

If you're a Cardinals fan, you should be rooting for a big-time season for May for two reasons. First and foremost, if he is a top-of-the-rotation arm, that immediately changes the perception of the Cardinals' rotation and can help them win games. On top of that, if May looks like his old self and can stay healthy, imagine what a contender would pay for a 28-year-old flamethrower ahead of the trade deadline? Plus, he signed a one-year, $12.5 million deal with a mutual option for 2026. Unlikely, but the deal could be for two years instead of one. If he can stay healthy in 2026, he can be a steal for St. Louis.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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