Dustin May was in control early in his Boston Red Sox debut, allowing no runs and tallying three strikeouts. However, the Kansas City Royals figured him out in the third frame as things slowly began unraveling, and it was all downhill from there. Members of the Fenway Faithful who weren't happy with the acquisition of the right-hander from the Los Angeles Dodgers were almost immediately validated.
Boston's big trade deadline move aged like milk after six outs. It was the stomach-turning outing that fans won't unsee if May doesn't get on track soon, especially considering the haul it took to land him. Meanwhile, Dodgers supporters and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman are laughing from L.A. to Tulsa after bolstering their farm system with a distressed asset.
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Dodgers fans are already taking a victory lap after Dusty May's disappointing Red Sox debut
The Dodgers received two of Boston's top 30 prospects, outfielders James Tibbs III (No. 5) and Zach Ehrhard (No. 27), for May. That's an impressive return package, especially for someone who the reigning World Series champions reportedly deemed "expendable" as their rotation returns to form/health. Conversely, the Red Sox gave up two valuable bargaining chips for a middling player who's notably slated for unrestricted free agency this offseason.
Who exactly were the Red Sox bidding against to the degree that required them putting Tibbs and Ehrhard on the table? Between May's expiring contract and inconsistencies on the mound, the Dodgers were in a position of zero leverage. Yet, Los Angeles somehow made out like bandits by adding two promising minor leaguers.
James Tibbs III, Zach Ehrhard thriving in Dodgers' farm system rubs salt in Red Sox fans Dustin May wound
Tibbs is slashing .333/.474/.733 with two home runs, six RBIs and a dazzling 1.207 OPS through games at Double-A Tulsa. Ehrhard is hitting .455/.538/.636 with an RBI and equally outstanding 1.175 OPS in one less contest. Of course, the sample size is minuscule, but the early results have been encouraging.
Less than two months ago, Tibbs was the top prospect the Red Sox got in their still-shocking blockbuster swap for star slugger Rafael Devers. The San Francisco Giants spent a first-round pick on him just last year. Los Angeles brought him back the National League West, and all it took was parting ways with May, who ostensibly didn't factor into their plans.