The St. Louis Cardinals and free-agent right-hander Dustin May are in agreement on a one-year contract, multiple outlets reported Saturday.

No contract values are known yet, but given May’s injury history, the deal is pending a physical, according to the reports.

May, 28, was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Northwest High School in Justin, Texas. He made his MLB debut on Aug. 2, 2019, pitching in five games.

In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he appeared in 12 games (10 starts) and finished 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA. He threw 56 innings and struck out 44 batters on his way to finishing fifth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

In the Dodgers’ run to the World Series title that season, he appeared in seven postseason games (three starts) and was 1-0 with a 4.22 ERA.

But May faced trouble after that season, appearing in only 20 games with the Dodgers over the next three seasons.

In 2021, he had Tommy John surgery, and it was flexor tendon surgery that derailed his season in 2023. And in the summer of 2024, while taking part in a rehab program in Arizona, he was out to dinner when a bit of salad got stuck in his throat, tearing his esophagus.

He underwent life-saving surgery that evening. When he made his spring training debut in 2025, he had gone 648 days without throwing a pitch in a game situation.

In 2025, he made 19 appearances for Los Angeles (18 starts) and was 6-7 with a 4.85 ERA before being shipped to the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline for minor-league outfielders Zach Ehrhard and James Tibbs.

He became a free agent at the conclusion of the season after failing to make a splash in Boston – 1-4, 5.40 ERA.

His 132 1/3 innings thrown last year were more than double his previous career high.

What the Cardinals see in May

There’s never enough starting pitching, and May is worth the chance.

He still is just 28, after all, and if health issues are behind him, he has a pitching arsenal that includes a high-quality sweeper and a sharp sinker, along with a cutter and four-seam fastball.

Last season, he averaged 95.4 mph on his fastball and 94.5 mph on the sinker, according to Baseball Savant statistics.

The Cardinals aren’t expected to compete for the National League Central title in 2026, but if May can stay healthy and excel, he could turn into a valuable trade chip. Pitchers at his age, with his stuff, and with his postseason experience are a commodity.

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