*MLB Source: Dustin May Agrees With Cardinals, Not Staying in Boston**
Right-handed pitcher **Dustin May**, who split the 2025 season between the **Los Angeles Dodgers** and the **Boston Red Sox**, has reportedly reached an agreement on a **one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals**. The agreement, first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan and widely confirmed by MLB and national sports news outlets, is **pending a physical** before it becomes official. ([ESPN.com][1])
May, 28, posted a **4.96 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP and 123 strikeouts** across 132⅓ innings between the Dodgers and Red Sox during the 2025 season. After struggling with injuries and inconsistency throughout the year, he entered the offseason as one of the more intriguing free-agent pitchers due to his underlying stuff and age.
Reports indicate the Cardinals are adding May to help bolster a young rotation that lost veteran Sonny Gray in a trade with Boston. The contract reportedly includes a **mutual option for 2027**, giving the club flexibility should May rebound or continue to develop as a trade chip.
Despite May having pitched for Boston last season — acquired at the July 31 trade deadline — there is **no verified report that he backed out of a Cardinals deal to stay with the Red Sox**. All reputable coverage currently points to him moving on from Boston to join St. Louis this offseason. ([NESN.com][3])
In summary, the narrative you asked about — May terminating a Cardinals contract to stay with the Red Sox — **is not supported by credible sources at this time.** Instead, MLB sources consistently report that May is headed to the Cardinals on a one-year free-agent deal.
