Los Angeles right-handed pitcher Dustin May made his first highly-anticipated start on Saturday night, his first appearance in a Major League game since May 2, 2021 at Milwaukee when he suffered a season-ending elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

And the Texas native did not disappoint, holding the Miami Marlins to one hit while striking out nine over five scoreless innings at Dodger Stadium. It was the Dodgers 11th shutout of the season, blanking the Marlins 7-0.

May, 24, made five rehab starts prior to joining the Dodgers with Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA with 33 strikeouts.

In his last six Major League starts, he has allowed seven runs in 28 innings with 44 strikeouts and has struck out 8+ batters in four of his last six starts.

May was originally drafted in the third round of the 2016 First Year Draft out of Northwest high school in Justin, TX, and has been in the Major Leagues parts of three seasons with a combined 6-5, 2.93 ERA.

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Fortune struck on Opening Day in 2020 when the red-head with the long, wavy locks replaced scheduled starter Clayton Kershaw who injured his back before the game. May became the youngest starter at 22-years-old for the Dodgers since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.

May didn’t pick up his first win that year until his third start and struck out eight batters in six innings, and he didn’t allow more than two runs in a game for six starts.

“Dustin’s doing nothing but show his value to our ball club,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s stepping up when given the opportunity.”

In May’s pitching arsenal, he’s got some pretty creative stuff. Especially his two-seam fastball with tricky movement and his nasty slider.

“It’s pretty impressive what Dustin can make a baseball do,” Roberts said. “It’s going to be fun and it’s exciting to watch Dustin mature as a big-league ballplayer.”

Hopefully, May can keep the momentum going when he gets the nod for his next start for the Dodgers, adding much depth to an already solid starting rotation.