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

Cardinals Handling $12.5 Million Flamethrower Perfectly

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 28, 2026 12:22 PM ET

It's hard not to be excited about young St. Louis Cardinals flamethrower Dustin May.

May is just 28 years old. He and Kyle Leahy are the oldest hurlers looking to earn spots in the rotation right now, which certainly says something. St. Louis is loaded with young talent as the 2026 season quickly approaches. When it comes to May specifically, he was the team's biggest addition in free agency this offseason. The Cardinals signed the flamethrower to a one-year, $12.5 million deal with a $20 million mutual option for the 2027 season.

May hasn't appeared in a Spring Training game yet for the Cardinals, but that isn't a cause for concern, by any means. One thing that the Cardinals have done well over the last few seasons is keeping their starters relatively healthy. They have been working May along at a different game schedule as a way to do so. He pitched a simulated game on Friday and manager Oli Marmol noted that he's feeling better than he has in a "long time," as transcribed by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Dustin May is someone to be excited about

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

“Being able to take somebody pole to pole,” Marmol said, as transcribed by Goold. “And how we think the best way of doing that with what we know and what he’s been through. Last year, even from a weight standpoint, how he came into spring compared to what he’s used to and then the workload layered on top of that. He’s in a — to use his words — this is the best he’s felt in a long time. Arm, body, composition — all of it. And they just want to make sure. ...

"This is what I do like about not just here is the norm, and we’re going to fit you into it, and hope at the end of it it works out. We want to be extremely thoughtful in how we get through spring training and make sure that we’re giving a personalized plan to get through it and feel good about where they’re at when the season starts. We were able to point to some things that were meaningful with what we did with Sonny and tailor [May’s] program. We’re in a good spot.”

May is a 28-year-old righty is someone who has top-of-the-rotation stuff when he's healthy. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to consistently stay healthy over the last few years. Because of that, it's extremely important how the Cardinals have been handling him throughout Spring Training.

Soon enough he'll get into a live game in Spring Training. But the Cardinals are doing everything right so far.

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

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