Dustin May: 100 mph heater
Dustin May turned in a sharp spring outing — 5 IP, 1 ER, 3 K — and touched 100 mph on the gun, signaling the arm is trending in the right direction. (x.com) Scouts will eyeball that velocity spike as teams finalize rotations ahead of Opening Day. (x.com)
May signed a one-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals that carries a reported $12.5 million guarantee and includes a mutual $20 million option for 2027, according to reporting on the agreement. (espn.com) Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has described May’s spring buildup as “midseason form,” saying the ball is coming out of his hand well and projecting him as a candidate for the club’s No. 2 starter role. (mlb.com) Pitch-tracking outlets registered a sharp uptick in May’s heater this spring, with data showing an average four-seam near 97.8 mph and a peak in the high-99s (about 99.3 mph) compared with a 2025 season velocity that dipped to a career-low roughly 95.4 mph. (rotowire.com) Local and national beat writers flagged the velocity jump as a high-leverage datapoint because MLB organizations and scouts use spring-tracking spikes to sort rotation pecking orders as Opening Day approaches. (cronkitenews.azpbs.org) Team notes from camp show May back near his listed playing weight — the club cited roughly 215 pounds — and staffers credited his conditioning program for the stronger feel and consistency through his spring outings. (mlb.com)
