Dodgers fans blindsided by another season-ending injury for Dustin May

Dustin May has never pitched more than 56 innings in his six major league seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It hasn't been for lack of trying or for lack of talent, rather the COVID-shortened season in 2020 and multiple recurring injuries ever since. He underwent Tommy John after just five starts in 2021, went down with lower back tightness in September 2022 after only coming back in August, then made nine starts in 2023 before needing a flexor tendon repair and a Tommy John revision.

It's that particular cascade of injuries that had him starting the 2024 season on the 60-day IL. May's been ramping up his throwing progression throughout the season and might've even been ready to come back for a few innings right at the end of the regular season, but yet another major bump in the road has completely eliminated that possibility.

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, May underwent surgery to repair a torn esophagus this week, and will be down for the count for the rest of the season because of it.

Dustin May will miss the rest of the 2024 season after surgery for a torn esophagus

Passan also reported that May was scheduled to start a rehab assignment this coming week, which makes the timing of this new injury all the more tragic. The injury also reportedly had nothing to do with baseball, but it will keep him from all physical activity for two months.

The Dodgers weren't exactly holding out for a return for the injury-prone May given the severity of his surgeries last year. However, given the state of the rotation his re-arrival in the majors even for just a couple of months would've helped this team enormously, even if the Dodgers opted to move him to the bullpen.

The best case scenario now would be that May recovers from this newest injury well and can pick up where he left off at the beginning of the 2025 season, but that would still require a rehab assignment to start the year.

We wish May the best. This is an incredibly unorthodox injury for a baseball player to have to deal with, and it's undoubtedly disappointing for a pitcher who's been waiting for another chance to prove himself since 2021.