2K23: Dustin May

[Pauly]

Why? His stuff is every bit as good as McClanahan's, he plays in a favorable pitchers park, great lineup behind him. McClanahan went from a mid-3s ERA/mid-4s xERA to mid-2's with an incremental step in control/BB rate and improved command of his splitter. May needs to take another step forward in control/BB rate and improve command of his cutter, both things I think are reasonable outcomes.

Certain? No way. Achievable? Sure.

I completely disagree that his stuff is every bit as good, which is why I found it outlandish. But I could be wrong.

[onejayhawk]

I completely disagree that his stuff is every bit as good, which is why I found it outlandish. But I could be wrong.

Fangraphs kind of agrees with both of you. May's hard stuff is probably better but McLanahan has the hook and May doesn't. The place they give May a significant edge is command and that projection has not proven out. McLanahan was down to 2.09 BB/9 this season.

Still, I think it's a reasonable comparison to a point. What sets McLanahan apart is the strikeout pitch. SM has the hook and DM has the cutter. That said, May is going into what amounts to McLanahan's breakout year, not his Cy Young flirt.

[chancellor]

Oh, May has a great curveball - he does not have a split, which McClanahan fully mastered in the offseason and put to pretty devastating use. However, for those who doubt May's stuff, I provide this:

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/pitching-ninjas-five-filthiest-pitches-dodgers-dustin-mays-electric-return