Dustin May pulled with 2-0 lead in fifth

May had decent enough stuff today after leaving his last start because a comebacker got him in the shoulder, but the five hard-hit balls he allowed all did damage, turning into a homer, three doubles and a single, and he hurt the cause by walking three batters and hitting another. He dropped to 6-9 with a 4.69 ERA. He’ll face the Reds next weekend.

May was pulled from Wednesday’s start against the Mets after he was drilled in the shoulder by a 106-mph line drive off the bat of Mets’ outfielder A.J. Ewing on the very first pitch of the ballgame. It sounds like there’s a realistic possibility that the Brewers will turn him loose on Sunday while shifting the rest of the rotation back a day.

The encouraging news here is that X-rays came back negative after May was drilled by a 106-mph line drive from Mets rookie A.J. Ewing on the very first pitch of the ballgame. It sounds like there’s a chance he’ll be ready to make his next start against the Cubs early next week.

Ouch. May was struck in the upper back near his right shoulder by a 106-mph line drive from Mets rookie A.J. Ewing on his very first pitch of the game. He was immediately replaced by lefty Robert Gasser. He’ll undergo further evaluation and likely imaging to determine whether he suffered a serious injury. There should be an update on his status after the game.

The Mariners jumped all over May here with four hits and four runs in the first inning. The struggles didn’t stop there either, as he was through 53 pitches with zero outs in the second inning. By the time that frame ended, the Mariners had seven runs on the board, May had thrown 66 pitches, and he was mercifully pulled from this game before the third. He had absolutely no feel for his cutter or sweeper and without those, couldn’t do much. This was his first clunker since being acquired by the Brewers at the deadline and we’re hoping he can put this poor start behind him quickly. Next up, he’s scheduled to face the Mets on the road.

May was tested in the fourth, when he walked the leadoff man and gave up a single with one out. He then induced a double play ball, only for David Hamilton to botch it at short and get no outs. So, May just went and got another double play ball, and the defense converted it this time. It was the third time this year that May completed seven innings. The first time, in May, he was facing the Brewers team he pitched for today. The second time was his one-hit shutout in June against the team he faced today. He’ll take on the Mariners next.

May, acquired from the Cardinals on Monday, allowed three hits, walked three and struck out five to win for the first time since his one-hit shutout of the Padres back on June 15. He’s allowed just three runs over 17 innings in his last five starts, taking his ERA back down to 4.30. He’s set to face the Padres next week, and given how well his previous two starts this year went against them, he seems like a decent streaming option.

May might have peaked in May, but he’s still done quite well in posting a 2.92 ERA with 28 strikeouts over 24 2/3 innings in his last five starts. The Brewers don’t ask for lengthy outings from their starters, which should work in May’s favor. His fantasy value should increase a tad with the deal, though there is the risk that the Brewers will occasionally pull him with a lead in the fifth. The Brewers will have to decide whether to go to a six-man rotation for now or to have May replace Robert Gasser.

Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale are going to St. Louis, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. May could replace Robert Gasser in the Brewers rotation or the team could shift back to a six-man setup for now. Romero will take some pressure off Aaron Ashby in relief once he comes off the IL.

May put together a solid start here while it was obvious that the Cardinals were trying to protect him. He got through his five scoreless innings, but didn’t face a single batter for a third time and was yanked at just 70 pitches. His fastball also trended down closer to 95 mph from his usual 97 in that fifth or final inning. To further defend that decision, May’s command was all over the place and he only forced three total swings-and-misses. In the end, May has faltered over the last month, was wild again here, and the Cardinals did well to quit while they were ahead. May is a trade candidate ahead of Monday’s deadline, so keep an eye out for where and when his next start is.