Dodgers Can Get Postseason Boost From Dustin May, Says FOX Sports
Recently, Dustin May made it known what he doesn’t want to be called. However, being called ‘Dodger postseason reliever’ certainly would meet his approval.
On Wednesday afternoon, May put together a nice performance in his second career start against the St. Louis Cardinals. He showed poise and command to go along with devastating stuff. It was the type of performance that shows he not only belongs, but can impact the 2019 Dodgers in prominent ways.
Now, FOX Sports MLB is saying that May can absolutely factor into the Dodgers’ postseason fortunes as a reliever. Dontrelle Willis and Terry Collins weighed in on the topic in the video below which was posted to twitter.
Can the @Dodgers Dustin May be the next electric starter to help his team from the bullpen when the postseason rolls around?
Answer: YES pic.twitter.com/mFKHLAJBYX
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 8, 2019
Now, let’s all remember to that painful postseason game in 2015 in Los Angeles when the New York Mets brought Noah Syndergaard out of the pen to slam the door on the Dodgers. Ironically, it was Collins who made that move. Equally important, May has drawn comparisons to Syndergaard not only aesthetically, but in terms of upside and arm-talent.
So does Collins see May filling a similar role for Los Angeles in 2019? Indeed – he does – and he says the Dodgers should not hesitate to insert May into the pen when October rolls around.
“If the Dodgers need a piece, this May kid has a good arm and he’s locating it. If you have that kind of weapon out there, you should use him.”
Furthermore, Willis provides the most intriguing audio of the video. This is the x’s and o’s talk of baseball – how a pitcher like May gets hitters out and has success. Take a look at what Willis says here:
“One thing that matters is the mound presence, and that’s what May has. He throws 95 to 97, works at a great pace, late life and movement on his pitches, and he’s not afraid to miss a bat. He attacks everyone, and that’s why when he gets ahead in the count he has a sweeping slider. I think he can make the adjustment. And with that type of stuff, that’s a bullpen arm that can go through the lineup once and get nine outs for you.”
May is a dynamic talent, but some may wonder if he has what it takes as a rookie to help the Dodgers win it all right now. That’s reasonable, because it’s a lot to expect out of any rookie. However, it’s important to note here are two credible baseball men are confirming that this is a guy who can change the game in the postseason as a reliever for the squad.
Perhaps when the Dodgers didn’t go out and get a marquee reliever at the deadline, they knew something we all didn’t. While it wouldn’t be a first on that, having Dustin May in their back pocket as the figurative ‘ace in the hole’ fireman reliever could be what propels the Dodgers to write a storybook final chapter in 2019.
This place is a ghost town now
Could May and Gonsolin be used for two or three Innings each and start 5 days later or less?
I am going to guess here, don’t think anyone actually knows. But Friedman’s plan, appears to me anyway, is to use the kids as relief pitchers, not starters. This includes Urias, Gonsolin and May. I think they will be used just like relievers, an inning here, an inning there, so that back to back game appearances can be made. That also means certain relievers who are currently in our bullpen will not be on the playoff rosters, no room at the inn. Keep in mind Maeda & Stripling move to the bullpen and Rich Hill probably becomes the fourth starter. They have a lot to work with here.
I think bluz as usual is spot on.
I don’t think we see Hill again in 2019, if again at all, though.
People were so critical of the Front Office. They obviously evaluated their staff and Farm system and decided that Velasquez was the only guy that was better than what they had in house.
If I were the Pirates owner I would fire his GM as he wanted too much and came away without a trade. A high class reliever is not much help if you are in 5th place! The Pirates. Cubs, Cards and Brewers are all better than the Pirates for the foreseeable future and possibly the Reds are better also. They could have had a generational kid like Ruiz and a good starting arm like a White or Santana to give them two premium guys for the future. Reports are they wanted 2 top five guys and that was not happening.
Pitching is not a weak point for the Dodgers. May, Gonsolin and possibly the young guy Gonzalez all have potential to be great in the playoffs.
tmaxster, you are so right when referring to the Pirates GM as lacking knowledge in how to make a deal : a fifth place team does not need a pricey reliever, one who could bring that club integral parts for the future. A BP of Urias, Hill, Kelly, Baez, Jansen, Stripling and for the good of the cause should prove to be sufficient. Gonsolin can always be moved to the BP. A starting rotation of Kersh, Ryu, May, Buehller and Gonsolin is very strong. Go Blue!!!
BLUE LOU!!! correct you and bluz1st are concerning the Pirates asking way too much for a reliever that no matter how dominant he is, will not budge the pirates from the cellar in the here and now. pirates could have had themselves quite a package of young players for the future that more than likely would have helped their cause as much as they seem to think Velasquez will.
Huntington told anyone that would listen that he would not trade Velasquez. He values him highly for their future.
And that’s fine because I much would rather have Lux and May remain here with us, not them. Can you believe what Lux has been doing at OKC? Unbelievable and even though it’s the minors , I have seen some video of a couple of Lux HR’s that honestly might have been longer in distance than any Dodger HR this year yet.
So glad Lux is here to stay. We’re going to be glad on that in a big way soon. Write it down!