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 Shockingly Under Fire for $12.5 Offseason Addition

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Mar 12, 2026 5:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals did a lot to build their roster for the future this offseason. They swung numerous trades to cut ties with veterans while adding prospects and it's set them up for a promising future.

But the Cardinals also opted to sign veteran pitcher Dustin May to a one-year, $12.5 million deal to add some proven pitching depth at the top of their rotation.

Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly recently called May's deal with the Cardinals the team's worst contract on their payroll, which is quite harsh criticism for a one-year contract.

Cardinals under fire for signing Dustin May

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

"Dustin May is the type of arm it makes sense to take a flier on when you're a team tearing things down to the studs, like the Cardinals are under president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom," Kelly wrote. "But while there's an outside chance May pitches well enough for the Cardinals to flip him this summer, the more likely scenario is that he spends much of 2026 on the injured list, turning into a sunk cost for the Cards.

"Mind you, this is someone who had enough service time to qualify for free agency but has logged just 324 innings in his career, despite making 57 of his 71 MLB appearances as a starter. Also concerning is that even when May was healthy last year, he didn't pitch well. In a season split between the Dodgers and Red Sox, May posted a 4.96 ERA and 4.88 FIP across 132.1 innings."

The Cardinals had the money to sign May and they needed some pitching depth. Instead of opting for an innings eater, they went with a guy who could elevate his stock with more consistency.

Dustin May's deal is a low risk move for the Cardinals

David Butler II-Imagn Images

Adding May is a low-risk move. The only risk for the Cardinals is $12.5 million, which doesn't really matter to them right now. They've cut their payroll down quite a bit over the last year. Adding a veteran pitcher with just over $10 million of the money they've cut down isn't concerning at all.

At his worst, May is injured and inconsistent. Worst case scenario, the Cardinals threw this money away as May struggles to stay in the rotation. But even then, what do the Cardinals lose? It's only a one-year deal.

At his best, May has nasty stuff and could elevate his trade value ahead of the deadline, allowing himself to be flipped for a prospect or two.

There's almost nothing to worry about with his one-year contract.

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

More must-reads: