May makes Dodgers history in baseball's return
It was May Day in Los Angeles on Thursday. After ace Clayton Kershaw was scratched just hours before his scheduled Opening Day start due to back stiffness, the Dodgers called on rookie Dustin May to take the hill against the Giants, and the 22-year-old -- who was reassigned earlier in
It was May Day in Los Angeles on Thursday.
After ace
"For me, it was just nice to get the first one under the belt. I mean, starting the season -- it was great," May told the media after the game.
"It was awesome to get the nod to come in and throw. It’s kind of the thing you dream about growing up is throwing on Opening Day."
Los Angeles' second-ranked prospect became the first Dodgers rookie hurler to start on Opening Day since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. May allowed a run on seven hits while fanning four over 4 1/3 frames. The righty did not walk anyone and threw 46 of his 60 pitches for strikes.
“When a change in plan happens, Dustin adapts very well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com before the game.
Dustin May was straight 🔥 in his Opening Night start for the #Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/UHKRlfnH4f
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 24, 2020
The 2016 third-round selection had his 70-grade heater on display early and often as he flashed 99 mph throughout the opening inning and touched triple-digits in the second. After a fielding error by shortstop
"I was anxious," he said after the game. "Just not being able to be in a game scenario since pretty much October. I mean we’ve had intrasquads, but it’s not really the same as facing other opponents and having the stats matter at that point. But it was just the anxiousness of wanting to get started, and once the first pitch was thrown, I was all good and ready to get going."
The right-hander notched his first punchout on a 2-2 fastball that blew past the swinging bat of
The 6-foot-6, 180-pounder was in a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the third after yielding three consecutive singles to start the inning. But after a sacrifice fly by
"He wasn't nervous or intimidated by the amount of cardboard we had in the stands tonight,"
After mowing down the side in order again in the fourth, MLB.com’s No. 23 overall prospect gave up consecutive base hits to start the fifth before fanning
"For the most part I was getting ahead and guys were swinging, and they were very aggressive tonight, and I went into that knowing," May said. "They just hit a few where they weren’t, and for the most part, I was hitting my spots and stuff was going the right way."
With his late callup, he became the 12th of baseball’s Top-100 prospects to appear on an MLB Opening Day roster this year. May picked up end-of-season All-Star honors in his previous two Minor League campaigns -- in 2018 with Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga and in 2019 with Double-A Tulsa as well as being a Futures Game selection last season. He appeared in Dodger blue for 14 games last year, posting a 3.36 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and 32 whiffs while limited opponents to a .250 average over 34 2/3 frames.
Following an offseason trade,
Right-hander
Rob Terranova is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobTnova24.