In a season where the Dodgers are juggling promise and panic like a circus act, one arm continues to draw more concern than confidence. Dustin May, once hailed as the flamethrowing future of the rotation, now looks more like a live wire in a rainstorm. And after a tense showdown with the Padres, the Dodgers skipper finally broke the silence, not with spin, but with something dangerously close to the truth.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been having a good season, but some of the games they have dropped have been painful to watch. While their batting has been falling short in the last couple of games, their pitching department has been weak throughout the season, and that has hurt them. With the exception of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, their whole pitching staff has been falling apart, and it almost happened against the San Diego Padres.

May started the game against the Padres, and it did not go well for him. Things became intense when it was found to be a pattern. Things have not been going well for May the whole season. After the game, when asked about it, manager Dave Roberts gave a very emotional reason, saying, “I think it’s fair to say that I think emotions were part of it… this is the first big ball game that he’s pitched in quite some time… For me, it was kind of the strike throwing, the command clearly wasn’t there… It overall, sure wasn’t great.” 

May’s return to the mound is layered with more than just physical recovery. After missing most of two seasons due to Tommy John surgery and a terrifying esophageal tear, May’s comeback feels like a victory just by itself. He admitted that he didn’t know if he’d ever pitch again, and that first strikeout back in the bigs brought an emotional flood. But triumph has given way to turbulence, and emotional residue still clings to every start.

That inner storm shows up early, especially in the first innings, where he often unravels. He’s allowed 6 runs (5 earned) in just three innings against the Padres, struggling to find rhythm. May’s ERA sits at 4.46, and his WHIP is a shaky 1.31 across 66.2 innings. His strike-to-ball ratio—just 48 strikes in 89 pitches last outing—shows control slipping under pressure.

Even when he steadies, it often comes too late—damage done, scoreboard tilted. Walks have piled up: 26 on the season, including a season-high four against San Diego. He’s walking batters, missing his spots, and falling behind in counts far too often. The stuff is still there, but until his nerves settle, opponents will keep pouncing before he finds his groove.

The Dodgers don’t need May to be a superhero—they just need him to throw strikes. But right now, he’s battling ghosts, not just batters. Until the mental fog clears, every first inning feels like Russian roulette with a rosin bag. And if the Dodgers keep counting on emotions to tighten the strike zone, they might want to start warming up their bullpen in the parking lot.

Dodgers’ pitching department not getting better

At this point, the Dodgers might consider bubble wrap a pitching accessory. Tony Gonsolin’s elbow is barking again, Shohei Ohtani is still strictly ornamental on the mound, and Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are swapping DL stories. Brandon Gomes insists they’re “building the foundation,” but with 15 arms down, it feels more like a sinkhole. Whatever the plan is—if there is one—it’s not throwing strikes or staying healthy.

Gonsolin is the latest domino to fall, shut down with elbow discomfort once again. His 5.00 ERA wasn’t sparkling, but he ate innings they desperately needed. “The UCL is intact,” Roberts offered optimistically, like a chef proud that the stove still works. But there’s no timetable for return, and the depth chart is a game of musical chairs. The front office is baffled, publicly admitting they have no clear fix in sight. “We’re far from having the answer,” Gomes said, while reviewing how they build arms in the minors. Starters are healthy until they hit the big stage, then things break. At this rate, the Dodgers might want to start stretching out the bullpen catcher.

And yet, somehow, the Dodgers are still atop the NL West, defying the laws of rotation physics. But miracles aren’t sustainable, and duct tape doesn’t win pennants in October. Until this team finds real answers—not just platitudes—the mound will remain a medical mystery. Maybe next spring, instead of a fifth starter, they should invest in a team chiropractor. Or better yet, a priest.