Dustin May Delivers Complete-Game Shutout for Cardinals

ST. LOUIS -- After a flirtation with history less than three weeks ago in Milwaukee, Cardinals starter Dustin May was at it again on Monday night at Busch Stadium. May carried a perfect game bid into the seventh inning but permitted a walk and a base hit to Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, respectively, to put an end to the dizziest of his dreams for the outing. However, May’s noteworthy night didn’t stop there. He didn’t allow another baserunner, going the distance for the first time in his big league career and shutting out the Padres on a one-hitter in a 3-0 Cardinals win.

May’s masterful performance marked the first shutout by a Cardinals starter since Sonny Gray on June 27, 2025. He became the first Cardinal to twirl a shutout at Busch Stadium since Miles Mikolas accomplished the feat on July 15, 2019. Given a checkered health history and the winding journey that brought him to St. Louis, Monday’s triumph was quality proof of concept for what the Cardinals believed could happen when they signed the 28-year-old right-hander to a one-year deal in the offseason.

“It means a lot,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “We placed a bet on -- if this guy was healthy, coming out of everything that he’s had over the last couple of years, and got back to his fighting weight, had a real offseason and got after it the way we know he’s capable of -- he can do some pretty impressive things.

“He’s done exactly that. So, to have his story and be able to pitch the way he did tonight is awesome to see.” After losing his bid at history, May benefitted from a slick double play turned on an 83 mph strike from Gold Glove shortstop Masyn Winn to first baseman Alec Burleson, which propelled him to push through the rest of the shutout.

“Incredible baseball player,” May said of Winn’s defensive fluidity. “Definitely super blessed to be able to have him behind me. He’s an incredible shortstop.”

“He’s a dynamic shortstop, man,” Marmol echoed. “What he’s been able to do defensively is awesome.” May finished the night racking up nine strikeouts, with seven of the nine K’s coming over the final four innings. In the eighth, he struck out the side for the second time. He also set a new career high by recording an out in the eighth inning of a start for the first time in his big league career.

The bullpen hardly stirred after Ty France swung through May’s 93rd pitch of the game, signaling he would have every opportunity to finish what he started. “I asked him if he had enough in the tank,” Marmol said. “He gave me a quick glance and walked away.” May recounted the events similarly. “Oh, a hundred percent,” May said. “He walked down and said, ‘How do you feel?’ I said, ‘Is that a question?’ Like, I’m going back out there.”

May did exactly that, throwing his 101st pitch on the night by Tatis to set off the fireworks in downtown St. Louis. May trimmed his season ERA to 3.75 and became the second MLB starter this season to twice take no-hit bids into the seventh inning -- Pirates phenom Paul Skenes is the only other pitcher to do that in 2026.

The pairing with rookie catcher Jimmy Crooks shouldn’t go unnoticed. Crooks provided the Cardinals’ biggest swing at the plate with a two-out, two-run double in the fourth inning, while Alec Burleson had the other Cardinals RBI on a double that extended his hitting streak to 15 games. Crooks was decidedly more satisfied by his defensive work than his hit, linking up with May to guide him through the momentous outing.

Crooks noticed that the veteran starter got better as the night went along. “As the fourth, fifth inning progressed, I was like, 'Oh, he’s on tonight,’” Crooks said. “He’s feeling good, feeling saucy. Just getting after it.”

Through five innings, May had set down 15 Padres in order, requiring just 50 pitches to do it. His sixth inning showed he was not nearing any sort of proverbial wall. The 17 pitches he needed to strike out the side represented the most he would throw in an inning all night. Though his time with the Cardinals has been but a sliver of his MLB journey, May sees that an energizing start to 2026 within this upstart clubhouse has brought out the best in him.

“It’s fun,” May said. “They definitely rejuvenated a lot more spark in me than I initially thought that I had. It’s been fantastic.