Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Dodgers' Fifth Starter in Rotation Revealed by Dave Roberts

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By TJ French | Last updated Mar 11, 2025 3:30 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers' 2025 MLB season begins in just over a week. The team will take a week off after a two-game set with the Chicago Cubs in the Tokyo Series.

However, the organization and its manager, Dave Roberts, are about to start finalizing roster pieces.

On Monday, one of those pieces was finalized as Roberts revealed that Dustin May will be the team’s fifth starter to open the 2025 MLB season during his appearance on the “Dodgers Territory” podcast on YouTube.

Dave Roberts revealed to us on @LADTerritory that Dustin May has been named the Dodgers' 5th starter and Tony Gonsolin is dealing with a back issue he sustained while lifting weights. pic.twitter.com/79vHUAASFJ
— Clint Pasillas (@realFRG) March 11, 2025

May missed the 2024 MLB season due to injuries, including a rare esophagus tear caused by eating lettuce. He started nine games in 2023, posting a 2.63 ERA in 48 innings. May has a career ERA of 3.10 over 34 starts, with 174 career strikeouts.

Everyone in the Dodgers’ rotation knows that May has filthy stuff, featuring a wicked two-seamer with extreme movement. His lanky delivery also deceives hitters, complemented by a plus off-speed pitch.

It’s also worth noting that Dodgers MVP Shohei Ohtani plans to return to the mound in early May, which could push May out of a rotation spot unless another starter suffers an injury.

The good news for May is that, with the Dodgers’ rotation stacked with top-line starters like Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow, there shouldn’t be too much pressure on him as he works his way back to the mound.

However, the 27-year-old must prove he can stay healthy, or the Dodgers may stop taking chances on him. While it’s encouraging to see him show resiliency in his rehab, Los Angeles has other potential starters eager for opportunities as well.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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