Matt Higgins
The Boston Red Sox pivoted after missing out on one of their top trade targets in Merrill Kelly, acquiring Dustin May from the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The Dodgers received 2024 first-round pick James Tibbs III, a 22-year-old outfielder, for May.
The Boston Red Sox are acquiring right-hander Dustin May from the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2025
Tibbs was part of the package the Red Sox received for Rafael Devers from the San Francisco Giants.
May, who was ranked as high as the eighth-best prospect in baseball in 2020 by Baseball Prospectus, has been beset by injuries during his six-year career. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021, flexor tendon surgery in 2023 and missed all of 2024 after suffering a life-threatening torn esophagus.
The right-hander has struggled this year, posting a 4.85 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) with a 1.346 WHIP and 84 ERA+. His fastball, which averaged 98 mph in 2020 and 2021, has dropped to 94.8 mph, ranking in just the 59th percentile.
In a bit of irony, May’s final start as a Dodger came against Boston, when he allowed four earned runs in five innings during LA’s 4-3 loss.
The acquisition addresses a clear need. Boston’s rotation ranks 15th in baseball with a 4.04 ERA, and while Garrett Crochet has been the ace they expected, the Red Sox need depth with Walker Buehler struggling and four starters currently on the IL: Tanner Houck, Hunter Dobbins, Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval.
The Red Sox had initially targeted Kelly, but the Arizona Diamondbacks sent the veteran to the Texas Rangers instead. Kelly, a free agent after this season, went 9-6 with a 3.22 ERA, 133 ERA+ and 121 strikeouts in 128⅔ innings. He joins a Rangers rotation featuring Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom, Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker as Tyler Mahle remains on the 60-day IL with a rotator cuff strain.
Arizona received pitching prospects Kohl Drake and David Hagaman from Texas for Kelly, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. The Diamondbacks are selling after falling to fourth place in the NL West at 51-58, having already traded All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suarez and first baseman Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners.
LHP Kohl Drake and RHP David Hagaman part of the package going from the Rangers to the Diamondbacks for RHP Merrill Kelly, source tells @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2025
For Boston, the question remains whether May can turn his season around and provide the rotation help they desperately need.
