Dodgers suffered a setback due to Dustin May's difficulties with his sweeper, contributing to their loss against the Braves.
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Tit for Tat: Dustin May's Sweeper Pitch Leaves Him Hanging
ATLANTA - Dustin May knew the significance of his sweeper pitch this season.
"It's going to be pivotal," the Dodgers right-hander said, chiilled confidence in his voice during spring training. "Nailing this could very well be my game-changer for the entire year."
Yet, he's learning the hard way that a good pitch can often have a flip side.
While May's Frisbee-like breaking ball initially appeared impressive after his return from a two-year absence, giving up just two earned runs in his first three starts, the pitch has since become less reliable in his last three outings. His overall performance has suffered as a result.
During Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, it was two ill-timed sweepers - both against none other than Braves slugger Austin Riley - that nudged May off-course on an evening the Dodgers ended their impressive seven-game winning streak.
Bonded brothers Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages, Dodgers' outfielders, share a corner of the clubhouse, where they chat almost daily. They study each other during batting practice, and sync up their thinking during outfielders' meetings.
In the first inning, May faced a tough battle against Riley, who stood with two strikes. But May threw a sweeper up and over the plate, which Riley promptly sent sailing for a two-run homer.
In the third, still locked in a tight battle, May tried his sweeper again against Riley, throwing it over the outer edge of the plate in a 1-and-1 count. Again, Riley was on it like a hawk, blasting another two-run blast that put the Braves 4-0 ahead.
"It's pretty disheartening," May conceded. "Giving up two home runs to him on essentially the same pitch wasn't part of the plan."
Despite the blunders, May still managed to clock 5 2/3 innings and strike out six batters without conceding additional runs.
"I thought tonight's execution was better," May confessed. "I was able to place the ball on both the inner-half and outer-half of the plate."
But in the quirky world of baseball, even a pair of minor mistakes can spell trouble for a pitcher like May. Understood for his improved health after two major elbow surgeries, May has scaled back his fastball velocity and jazzed up his somewhat side-arm delivery for a lower arm angle. As such, even marginally misplaced pitches can mean the difference between a walk and a homer.
"Ideally, the first one should have been off the plate, definitely not up," May reflected. "The second one was OK, just too much plate."
The Dodgers decided to shake things up in the sixth inning, bringing in Miguel Rojas from the bench as a pinch-hitter for underperforming outfielder Michael Conforto. Rojas homered off left-handed reliever Dylan Lee to cut the score to 4-3.
However, the Dodgers fell just short of tying the game in the ninth, stranding pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim at third. Despite the disappointing night, Kim showcased his impressive instincts and speed, stealing second and daringly dashing to third when a third strike was dropped during a pitch to first base.
"That was awesome," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, praising Kim's daring baserunning effort. "His instincts are top-notch, and that moment truly showcased his skills."
Despite the thrilling performance, the result still left a lingering taste of disappointment. As the Dodgers continue to navigate a banged-up rotation, they were hoping for someone else to step up alongside standout pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But the past few outings by May haven't gone quite as planned.
In his last three outings, the 27-year-old May has surrendered 14 runs in 16 innings.
And each time, the elusive effectiveness of his sweeper pitch has left May feeling a little frustrated.
Two weeks ago, when overall command issues led to May getting hammered by the Chicago Cubs, he was asked how challenging it can be to perform when that crucial pitch isn't working.
"You can see just how crucial it is," he responded back then.
May remained self-critical even after giving up three runs to the Miami Marlins last Monday.
"I still wasn't executing well at all," he admitted then. "I just got lucky some times."
According to the history of the game, even the greatest players have experienced ups and downs. So while May's recent struggles with his sweeper pitch are certainly frustrating, his journey back to full form continues.
Who knows? With better execution and a dash of luck, his sweeper just might become the game-changing pitch he initially imagined.
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- The Dodgers trio of Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, and Dustin May, often found in the clubhouse, share strategies and observations, such as when Pages watched May struggles with his sweeper pitch against Atlanta Braves' slugger Austin Riley.
- In the third inning, Riley capitalized on May's errant sweeper pitch, launching another two-run homer, adding to the Braves' lead, and causing frustration for the Dodgers' pitcher.
- As the Dodgers grapple with a rotation battered by injuries, the performance of standout pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, alongside others, has become crucial. Regrettably, May's recent outings, including the 4-3 loss to the Braves, have not been as planned, with May surrendering 14 runs in his last three appearances.
- Despite the challenges with his sweeper pitch, Dustin May remains hopeful and determined to regain the efficacy that initially made him believe the pitch could be his game-changer for the entire season.
