The Los Angeles Dodgers took another gut punch Saturday night when they announced that right-hander Dustin May won’t pitch this season. May had been recovering from surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right arm. He now faces a fresh setback and an unexpected fight: an esophageal tear.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report May’s situation. Dustin is regarded as one of the most talented arms in baseball. So full of promise, his career seemed to shine with all types of possibilities, but as often happens to pitchers who outshine, someday or another, injuries began to cast a shadow over that brilliance.

This unexpected procedure has ruled Dustin May out of physical activities over the next few months. It will, therefore, leave fans and teammates with bated breath. Let’s dive deeper and discover what happened to Dustin May.

Dustin May suffered from sudden esophagus and stomach pain

The Dodgers later confirmed the news in a somber statement detailing the sequence of events. ”While at dinner on Wednesday, Dodger right-hander Dustin May experienced sudden pain in his esophagus and stomach that continued after he returned home. He contacted the medical staff and ultimately underwent successful surgery on his esophagus. May will not return to pitch for the Dodgers this season”.

The incident happened in the evening when May enjoyed his dinner. He suddenly felt an acute, sharp, and unremitting pain in the esophagus and stomach. The discomfort was so harsh that it set off alarm bells, the outcome of which was May calling up the Dodgers’ medical team. It soon became of paramount importance that his condition warranted surgery.

Therefore, Dustin May’s route to the mound has been rerouted once again. The Dodgers right-hander has been embroiled in a grim struggle to recover since his last outing on 17 May 2023, following surgery for a torn flexor tendon in his pitching arm. It marked his second major elbow operation in three years after Tommy John surgery in 2021.

Optimism was starting to develop, with a rehab assignment for May reportedly taking place in the coming weeks. But fate had other plans, and he got another setback immediately. However, if we look at the status of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Dustin May is not the only player who’s on injured leave. Let’s dive deeper into who else is sidelined this season.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto transferred to the 60-day injured list

The Los Angeles Dodgers’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto is injured and makes the 60-day injured list. Once stout in their rotation, pitching brightly before finding his way to the injured list due to right triceps tightness in June, Yamamoto was on his way. Initially thought to be minor, it turned out to be a strained rotator cuff that would have him out for an extended period.

The Dodgers, very familiar with the injury bug this season, procedurally transferred Yamamoto to the 60-day injured list. Although the move was primarily done solely for roster management purposes, it unofficially underscored his recovery process’s seriousness. Amidst uncertainties, though, there is a glimmer of hope: Yamamoto began throwing again after a month-long layoff and had been diligent in his rehabilitation. It’s a cautious start, throwing at a modest distance, but it marks the beginning of his journey back to the mound.

Before his injury, Yamamoto had been outstanding for the Dodgers, turning in quite excellent stats: 2.92 ERA, 2.67 FIP, and an exciting 10.2 strikeouts per nine in 74 innings.

His injury rubbed salt on the wounds of the struggling Dodgers, whose roster of hospitalized pitchers now includes Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Dustin May, and Emmet Sheehan. We wish Dustin May and the other players a speedy recovery. Comment on your thoughts below.