While he was already recovering from UCL and flexor tendon surgery, a shocking and unexpected medical emergency in July 2024 delayed his comeback even further.

May was just days away from starting a minor-league rehab assignment in mid-2024 when he suffered a serious esophageal tear in a freak accident. During a routine dinner, a piece of lettuce lodged in his throat, leading to an extremely rare food impaction that perforated his esophagus.

The injury required emergency surgery that night, a procedure May described as “basically a full abdominal surgery.”

“It was definitely a life-altering event,” May spoke on Friday, sharing details of the ordeal for the first time since the Dodgers originally revealed it in a press release last July, as reported by Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.

“It was definitely very serious. It’s not a very common surgery. It was definitely an emergency,” said May.

The situation was life-threatening.

May added, “I probably wouldn’t have made it through the night if I didn’t have it.”

His recovery prevented him from lifting more than 10 pounds for six months, delaying his return to baseball even further.

Now fully healthy, Dustin May is competing for a spot in the Dodgers’ 2025 starting rotation.

When healthy, the third-round draft pick has been superb for the Dodgers, amassing a 3.10 earned-run average and 174 strikeouts in 46 games (34 of them starts) since making his MLB debut in 2019. However, injuries have limited him to just 20 starts from 2021-2023.

Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the competition, as noted by Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group, saying:

“They are fighting for a spot.”

If May doesn’t secure the role, the team will almost certainly start him in the bullpen because they’ve exhausted their minor-league options and cannot send him down.

Los Angeles has a packed starting rotation featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow.

With Shohei Ohtani set to return to the mound in May, the Dodgers have the flexibility to manage their rotation strategically. Given May’s recent injury history, the team may opt to ease him back with limited innings as a reliever before transitioning him into a starter role.

Despite the setbacks, May is determined to reclaim his place in the rotation.

“If I’m healthy, I feel like I have a spot,” he said.

After almost two years away due to injuries, Dustin May is ready to get back on the mound and help the Dodgers defend their World Series title in 2025.