May Finds His Rhythm After a Rough Start

Dustin May spent the first two weeks of the season trying to steady himself. His first two outings with the Cardinals were rough, giving up 13 earned runs in 7.1 innings and leaving him with a 15.95 ERA.

It was the kind of start that forces a pitcher to reset everything. Over his last three outings, May has done exactly that. He allowed only three earned runs across 17.1 innings and cut more than ten runs off his ERA, bringing it down to 5.84.

A Turn in St. Louis

Apr 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Players and coaches are wearing number 42 in recognition of Jackie Robinson Day. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The turnaround began at Busch Stadium on April 10, when May delivered the outing he needed against the Red Sox. He allowed one earned run over six innings, gave up four hits, struck out four, and didn’t issue a walk.

Only one of the two runs charged to him was earned. He worked efficiently, needed just 75 pitches, and retired the final seven batters he faced. The Cardinals held the lead late and closed out a 3–2 win.

Cleveland Brings More of the Same

Five days later, May backed it up with another strong outing, this time against Cleveland. He again went six innings and again allowed one earned run. He scattered six hits, struck out four, and leaned on his fastball mix to stay ahead in counts. The Cardinals won 5–3, and May’s ERA dropped from 9.45 to 6.98.

Two straight outings gave St. Louis exactly what it needed: stability from a rotation spot that had been shaky.

Miami Shows the Progress Is Real

The real test came in Miami on April 21. May gave up a leadoff homer to Jakob Marsee, but that was the only damage. He settled in, allowed one run on six hits across 5.1 innings, and struck out five.

He won his third straight start, matching a career-best streak, and lowered his ERA to 5.84.Three starts. Three wins. Three one‑run outings.

How May Shaved Ten Runs Off His ERA

The math is simple but dramatic. After two starts, May sat at 15.95. After three straight one‑run outings, he’s at 5.84. That’s a 10.11‑run drop, driven by allowing only three earned runs in 17.1 innings. That stretch works out to a 1.56 ERA.

More importantly, the way he got there suggests the improvement is real. He got ahead more often, trusted his fastball, mixed his pitches with purpose, and avoided the big inning that derailed his early outings.

What This Means Moving Forward

The Cardinals don’t need May to be an ace. They need him to be steady, efficient, and capable of giving them six competitive innings. Over his last three starts, he has done exactly that.

If he keeps pitching with this level of conviction, attacking hitters and limiting mistakes, the ERA will keep falling, and the Cardinals will keep winning his starts. The rough beginning to his season will fade into the background, replaced by a version of May that looks far more like the pitcher St. Louis believed it was getting.