In a trade that stunned baseball fans, the Los Angeles Dodgers sent right-handed pitcher Dustin May to the Boston Red Sox just minutes before the 2025 MLB trade deadline on July 31, a move that has left the 27-year-old reeling with a sense of betrayal. May, a Dodger since his 2016 draft, bared his soul in a raw, emotional statement to MassLive, saying, “I felt abandoned by the own people I considered family.” His words, heavy with disappointment, underscore a bitter end to his tenure with the Dodgers, where he contributed to two World Series titles but struggled to reclaim his early promise amid a string of injuries. The trade, which sent outfield prospects James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard to Los Angeles, has sparked heated debate about loyalty, roster management, and May’s future in Boston.

May’s journey with the Dodgers was marked by flashes of brilliance and persistent setbacks. Once hailed as a top prospect with a blazing fastball and devastating sweeper, he debuted in 2019 and played a key role in the 2020 World Series, posting a 2.57 ERA in 12 appearances. But injuries derailed his career: Tommy John surgery in 2021, a forearm strain in 2023, and a bizarre esophageal tear last summer limited him to just 20 starts from 2021 to 2024. This season, his healthiest yet, saw him log a career-high 104 innings across 19 appearances (18 starts), but his 4.85 ERA and 9.5% walk rate reflected a pitcher still finding his footing. His final start for Los Angeles, a 4-3 loss to the Red Sox on July 27, exposed his struggles, as a three-run fifth inning led by Alex Bregman’s homer sealed his fate.

The Dodgers’ rotation, bolstered by the returns of Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Shohei Ohtani’s emergence as a starter, left no room for May. General Manager Brandon Gomes revealed that “respectful conversations” with May highlighted his desire to remain a starter, a role the Dodgers could no longer guarantee. “We felt he could’ve been a contributor out of the bullpen, but his mindset was to start,” Gomes told the Orange County Register. With Emmet Sheehan emerging as a viable option and May set to hit free agency after 2025, the Dodgers saw an opportunity to acquire Tibbs, a 2024 first-round pick, and Ehrhard, a promising outfielder, in a deal that prioritized future value over sentiment. Yet, May’s reaction suggests the move blindsided him, with his Instagram post thanking the Dodgers but admitting it was “hard to put into words” what the organization meant to him.

Fans on X have been divided. Some, like @DodgersNation, praised the trade for netting high-upside prospects, with Tibbs’ .246/.379/.478 line in High-A before a Double-A slump seen as a coup. Others, like @RedSoxFanatic, called it a “panic move” by Boston, questioning May’s reliability given his 5.57 ERA in recent starts. “He’s got electric stuff, but can he stay healthy and consistent?” one user posted. May’s own words to NESN—“It was a ride of emotions, definitely sad leaving”—reveal a player grappling with the abrupt end to his Dodgers tenure, yet eager to seize a fresh start in Boston’s rotation alongside Garrett Crochet and Lucas Giolito.

The Red Sox, sitting at 60-51 and chasing a wild card spot, see May as a low-risk, high-reward addition. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who pursued bigger names like Joe Ryan, settled for May to bolster a rotation with a middling 4.04 ERA. “Dustin fits into that group,” Breslow told reporters, emphasizing his potential to make an impact. May’s debut, expected tonight against the Astros, will test whether a change of scenery can revive the form that once made him a Dodgers darling. His elite velocity and movement, praised as “a human gif machine” by Newsweek, offer hope, but his 43.6% hard-hit rate and injury history raise doubts.

For May, the trade is both a heartbreak and an opportunity. His candid admission of feeling “pushed out” reflects the cold reality of baseball’s business side, where even a two-time champion can become expendable. As he steps into Fenway Park, reunited with former teammate Walker Buehler, May’s challenge is clear: harness his million-dollar arm to prove the Dodgers wrong, or risk fading into free agency next year. For now, his words linger, a poignant reminder that even in baseball’s brightest moments, loyalty can be fleeting.