Brewers turn to Dustin May for Game 4 start with historic World Series sweep of Rays on the line

With a mustache paying homage to Pete Vuckovich, the Milwaukee Brewers' 1982 Cy Young Award-winning starting pitcher, right-hander Dustin May will start Game 4 of the 2026 World Series tonight. Backed by a 3-0 series lead, May will kick off the Brewers' attempt for a historic World Series sweep -- no team has swept both the LCS and the World Series since the LCS expanded to seven games in 1985.

It wasn't obvious which direction the Brewers would go with their Game 4 starter. Outside of their trio of go-to postseason starting pitchers -- Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, and Robert Gasser -- the Brewers turned to both May and rookie southpaw Shane Drohan to start games in the first two rounds of their 2026 playoff run. In addition to May and Drohan, the Brewers were reportedly considering starting veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff in Game 4, before the franchise legend made his long-awaited return to the mound to close out Game 3 on Monday night.

In the end, the Brewers settled on May, who is the only pitcher on their entire staff with prior World Series experience. However, that experience comes with a caveat as May pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2020 World Series, which was by no means a typical Fall Classic experience. May allowed three earned runs in three innings in that atypical World Series appearance and didn't pitch again in the postseason until this year.

The 29-year-old right-hander, who the Brewers acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals at the midseason trade deadline, has turned in a mixed bag of results during this year's postseason. His lone start, back in the NLDS, lasted just three innings and saw the hard-throwing right-hander allow two earned runs. In Game 4 of the NLCS, May allowed a three-run, second-inning homer to Shohei Ohtani, but locked in for seven strong outs after his mistake to the 4x MVP. Alongside those two three-inning outings, May has turned in a pair of scoreless one-inning relief appearances, the most recent of which came in Game 2 of the World Series.

Given May's postseason performance, it's unlikely Pat Murphy will call upon the mustachioed right-hander for a long outing in Game 4. In fact, it's possible May will act as a true opener in the Brewers' quest for a World Series sweep.

How long should Brewers fans expect Dustin May to pitch in Game 4 of the World Series?

The Tampa Bay Rays have elected to switch around their lineup for Game 4 of the World Series. After batting third for each of the first three games of the World Series, left-handed outfielder Chandler Simpson falls down to the fifth spot in Kevin Cash's Game 4 batting order. That change means the Rays will switch off from right-handed and left-handed hitters, starting with righty Yandy Díaz in the leadoff spot, throughout their Game 4 batting order.

In an ideal world, May would face Díaz, left-handed first baseman Jonathan Aranda, and righty slugger Junior Caminero in the first inning and then turn the ball over to a left-hander like DL Hall, Shane Drohan, or JoJo Romero to face lefty Liam Hicks, right-handed center fielder Johnny DeLuca, and then Simpson in the second inning. Where questions arise is if one of the first three batters reaches against May in the top of the first. Will Pat Murphy let May face the left-handed Hicks to close out the inning or turn to his bullpen before the end of the first frame? With a fully stocked 'pen, Murphy could certainly afford to replace May with a southpaw before the end of the first.

Perhaps, if May looks dominant in the first inning, Murphy will let him try to get through the second frame as well, but it would be shocking, given how May's postseason has gone thus far, to see him come out for a third. It's highly unlikely that May faces any batter in the Rays' lineup more than once.

Therefore, while some fans might be shocked to see the Brewers turn to the inconsistent May for their potential World Series-clinching game against the Rays, it's likely the right-hander won't be on the mound for too long. Expect a true bullpen game from the Brew Crew in Game 4.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow