Dodgers Land James Tibbs III From Red Sox In Exchange For Dustin May

Image credit: RHP Dustin May (Getty Images)

The Red Sox added to their rotation right at the buzzer of Thursday’s trade deadline, acquiring righthander Dustin May from the Dodgers in exchange for outfielder James Tibbs III, who they acquired last month in the Rafael Devers trade, and outfielder Zach Ehrhard, according to MassLive’s Christopher Smith.

May, 27, has been much healthier this season and posted a 4.85 ERA with 97 strikeouts to 43 walks over 104 innings, though with diminished raw stuff compared to his pre-injury form. May was in danger of losing his spot in the Dodgers’ rotation given the reinforcements arriving in Los Angeles.

He’s an intriguing add given his past pedigree and Boston’s current need for rotation reinforcements, although he arrives on an expiring contract. With Tanner Houck on the shelf for the foreseeable future, May should slide into Boston’s rotation and replace Richard Fitts.

RED SOX RECEIVE

Dustin May, RHP
Age: 27

Once one of the sport’s most promising pitching prospects, May debuted in 2019 as Baseball America’s No. 82 overall prospect but struggled to stay on the field in the years that followed. From 2019 to 2024, he logged just 191.2 innings across parts of five injury-riddled seasons. Now finally healthy, May has made 2025 his first full campaign in a rotation, though the results have been uneven.

His fastball has averaged just under 95 mph this year, while his 24.8% chase rate and 20.3% whiff rate both sit well below league norms. For the first time in his career, May has leaned primarily on a mid-80s sweeper, throwing it 41% of the time. His sinker is now the only other pitch in his mix with a usage rate above 20%. That shift in repertoire has coincided with a career-low 44.6% groundball rate and fewer swings and misses overall. Set to become a free agent this offseason, May remains a tantalizing arm with pedigree—but one whose impact hinges on rediscovering the sharpness that once made him elite.

DODGERS RECEIVE

James Tibbs III, OF
Age: 22

Tibbs was the 13th pick in last year’s draft, yet is now on his third organization after the Giants traded him to the Red Sox back in June in the Rafael Devers deal. Tibbs appeared in just 29 games for Boston’s Double-A Affiliate in Portland and didn’t hit for much impact, slashing .205/.321/.268 and a nearly 28% strikeout rate. He fared much better prior to the trade with the Giants’ High-A affiliate Eugene, where he hit 12 homers in 57 games. Tibbs is a bat-first corner outfielder with good patience, feel for the barrel and two-strike approach when he’s going well. But external evaluators saw fringe-average power and wondered whether Tibbs has a true carrying tool. He’s destined for a corner outfield spot on defense, which only puts more pressure on his hitting ability. Tibbs ranked 10th in the Red Sox system prior to the trade.

Zach Ehrhard, OF
Age: 22

The Red Sox drafted Ehrhard out of high school in the 13th round of the 2021 draft but he instead opted to attend Oklahoma State. They stayed on him and drafted him once again in 2024, this time in the fourth round. After struggling in his pro debut, Ehrhard returned in 2025 with better bat speed and hit for more impact for High-A Greenville, slashing .342/.471/.459 to go along with nearly as many walks (26) as strikeouts (27) in 31 games. That surge was enough to earn a promotion to Double-A Portland, where he has a .731 OPS through 57 games, and a spot in Boston’s Top 30 Prospects at No. 29. He has a well-rounded skill set, rarely swings and misses and is an above-average runner in all three corners. Better utilizing his improving raw power will be the ticket to enhancing his overall profile, and he’s an interesting addition to the Dodgers’ player development program given his improvements in 2025.