Dustin May’s first start as a member of the Boston Red Sox didn’t go quite as hoped. Making his debut six days after being acquired from the Dodgers, May labored through 3 ⅔ innings Wednesday night at Fenway Park, allowing three earned runs on six hits with one walk and two hit batters in Boston’s 7-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals. He needed 91 pitches to get just 11 outs and was tagged with the loss as the Red Sox had their seven-game winning streak snapped.
“Started off good. Then just fell apart and the wheels fell off in the fourth,” May said postgame. “Just lost myself mechanically. It’s been a minute since I’ve been on the mound for some depth. But no excuses. It’s got to be better.”
The fourth inning was where things unraveled. After issuing a leadoff walk to Adam Frazier — whom he promptly picked off — May surrendered three consecutive singles that gave Kansas City the lead for good. His final pitch of the night struck Bobby Witt Jr., ending a frustrating first impression with the Fenway faithful.
“I like it a lot,” May said of pitching in Boston. “I haven’t had much success in my two outings [at Fenway], but it’s great. Fans are great, atmosphere is fantastic, and I’ve got to pitch better for them.”
Dustin May feels optimistic about next start for Red Sox
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Dustin May (85) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
May’s cutter was a point of emphasis in his Boston debut. He threw it 27 times (30% usage), significantly more than he ever did in Los Angeles, where it was mostly used as a secondary option. Boston’s pitching staff encouraged the adjustment.
“They kind of wanted me to get my feet wet for the first one, then dig in a little bit,” May said. “They had the idea. In L.A., it was more so just use it as an influence, but they like it as a weapon pitch and I kind of agree.”
Despite the shaky results, Red Sox manager Alex Cora saw positives.
“He threw strikes. A lot of foul balls,” Cora said. “The pitch count got up there. They didn’t hit him hard, just put the ball in play. That’s what they do. I was pleased with the strike-throwing.”
May wasn’t the only Boston arm to struggle. Jordan Hicks gave up a back-breaking three-run homer to Jonathan India in the seventh inning, stretching the Royals’ lead to 7-2. The Sox were hit by pitches five times — a franchise record and one short of an MLB mark.
The night also nearly saw a storybook moment. Just hours after signing his eight-year, $130 million extension, Roman Anthony launched a deep drive to right in the fifth that Royals outfielder Mike Yastrzemski leapt up to rob at the wall — denying Boston of a potential game-tying homer.
The Red Sox (64-52) now turn the page to a challenging West Coast swing, beginning Friday in San Diego. May’s next scheduled start will be Tuesday in Houston, where he’ll look for a bounce-back performance.
“It’s about making adjustments,” May said. “And I’ll be ready next time.”
