Dustin May injury update as Brewers pitcher hit by line drive

A.J. Ewing led off for the Mets and rocketed a line drive right back at May, 106 miles an hour off the shoulder. The Brewers’ righthander tried to stay in. He threw a few warmups and it was clear he had nothing. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy pulled him before the second batter got to the plate.

The Brewers later said that May suffered a “right scapula contusion.”

The Brewers gave up prospects for May at the deadline and they have not gotten much back yet. He came into Wednesday with a 6.00 ERA in three starts and 15 innings in Milwaukee. He has more walks per nine innings (4.20) than he had given up all year and fewer strikeouts per nine (7.20).

May is 6-8 with a 4.57 ERA over 24 starts between St. Louis and Milwaukee, and a 3.36 FIP that says he has pitched better than the ERA looks. He was worth 2.6 wins above replacement, essentially all of that earned in a Cardinals uniform.

Milwaukee went into Wednesday night’s game with the best record in baseball and a division lead it has been protecting from the Cubs for weeks. The rotation has been the least of its problems. The Brewers traded for May to have a fourth arm in October who could take the ball in a game that mattered.