ST. LOUIS – Four days after Dustin May and the Cardinals agreed on the parameters of a one-year contract for the 2026 season, a physical was passed and pen hit paper to make things official on Wednesday.
But could an even bigger, more impactful transaction involving the Cardinals be coming any day now?
To add the 6-foot-6, oft-injured May, the Cardinals had to create a spot on their 40-man roster and ultimately, they designated Minor League outfielder Matt Koperniak for assignment on Wednesday. The May transaction was pushed out four days because they club hoped to potentially execute any of the other half-dozen trades that they have discussed with interested teams about Brendan Donovan, JoJo Romero, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras. Other players, such as Nolan Gorman, Lars Nootbaar or Pedro Pagés, could also be on the move with the Cards embarking on a rebuild.
May, 28, agreed to a deal that will pay him $12 million this coming season and one that contains a mutual option for $20 million for 2027, per a source. But that’s not where the risk lies with May, who has seen much of the past four years of his career wiped out by injuries. He endured Tommy John surgeries in 2021 and ’23 and missed all the 2024 season after suffering an esophageal tear when he got a piece of lettuce stuck in his throat and needed emergency, life-saving surgery.
Last season, one that split between the Dodgers and Red Sox when he was dealt at the MLB Trade Deadline, May pitched a career-most 132 1/3 innings. Also:
- May surrendered 21 home runs and saw his ERA balloon to 4.96.
- The average velocity on his four-seam fastball (from 97.3 mph in 2023 to 95.4 mph in '25) and his sinker (from 96.6 mph in '23 to 94.5 mph in '25) dropped in his time away from the game. That led to a minus-10 pitching run value, which ranked in MLB’s bottom 17th percentile. The declines in May’s four-seamer and sinker led to him throwing fastballs less (75.4 percent in '23 compared to 59.9 percent in '25) and dramatically upping the usage of his sweeper (39 percent in '25).
- Bad luck with injuries hit again late last season for May. His last start for the Red Sox came on Aug. 30 when he surrendered eight hits, six earned runs and four walks over 5 1/3 innings of work against the Pirates. He pitched just once more -- Sept. 3 out of the bullpen -- before being shut down with right elbow neuritis, which causes pain and numbness. If that condition sounds familiar it’s because it was the same malady that newly acquired Cardinals pitcher Richard Fitts battled for 2 1/2 weeks last season while being unable to shake the numbness in his arm.
Now, Cardinals fans wait to see if Donovan or even Romero are dealt away. While Arenado and Contreras have the All-Star cache, it’s Romero and his wipeout slider that repeatedly befuddled megastar Shohei Ohtani in 2025 that has the most rival teams clamoring in recent weeks.
The 28-year-old lefty reliever allowed just three of 26 inherited runners (12 percent) to score in 2025, and that was good for a sixth-place tie among all MLB relievers who pitched with at least 25 inherited runners. Also, he thrived on weak contact, ranking in MLB’s 91st percentile in average exit velocity (87.3 mph), in the 88th percentile in hard-hit rate (35.1 percent) and the 95th percentile in ground-ball rate (57.1 percent), per Baseball Savant. His ERA was a dazzling 2.07 in 65 appearances.
Additionally, Romero allowed just two homers and 11 extra-base hits all season -- numbers that ranked him among MLB’s best relievers.
While May is coming onboard with the Cards, other, more accomplished players are likely headed on their way out soon. If it weren’t already apparent, rebuilding is at the Cardinals' doorstep, and the trades they make in the next few days and weeks could determine just how long the often-trying process will take.