ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The last time Dustin May started a World Series ganme against the Tampa Bay Rays, he went home with a ring.

Now the Milwaukee Brewers are handing him the ball on a night that could end with another one. May will start Game 4 on Tuesday at Tropicana Field. The Brewers are one win from the first title in franchise history. They lead the series 3-0 after a 10-1 rout Monday that turned in the fifth inning, when Milwaukee scored eight runs. All eight came with two outs.

Brandon Woodruff was supposed to open this game until manager Pat Murphy used him in the ninth inning Monday. That left May. Behind him, Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill are rested. Lefties Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison haven't thrown a pitch all series.

May went 7-9 with a 4.70 ERA in 31 starts this season for the St. Louis Cardinals and Brewers. After Milwaukee traded for him at the deadline, it got worse: a 5.65 ERA in 10 starts. May has a 5.63 ERA in eight postseason innings over four appearances.

He started Game 3 of the NL Division Series in San Diego and gave up two runs in three innings in a 4-3 loss. In Game 4 of the NL Championship Series at Dodger Stadium, where he spent most of his career, he relieved Drohan in the second inning. Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer off him.

The Brewers won that night anyway and finished the sweep.

May has faced Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero and Chandler Simpson once each in this series. Seeing those four one more time, then turning it over to a lefty, is the most likely script.

May was a 23-year-old rookie with the Dodgers in 2020. He opened Game 7 of the NLCS against Atlanta. Then he pitched in two World Series games against Tampa Bay, allowing three runs on five hits over three innings. Since then, his arm and his body have rarely cooperated. He had Tommy John surgery in 2021 and a flexor pronator strain in 2023. In July 2024 he had surgery to repair a tear in his esophagus.

He signed a one-year deal with St. Louis for this season. The Cardinals traded him and reliever JoJo Romero to Milwaukee at the deadline for prospects Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale.

On Aug. 26 at Citi Field, the first pitch he threw came back at him as a line drive and hit him in the upper back.

1. Jackson Chourio (R) LF

2. Jake Bauers (L) 1B

3. Christian Yelich (L) DH

4. William Contreras (R) C

5. Brice Turang (L) 2B

6. Sal Frelick (L) RF

7. Cooper Pratt (R) SS

8. Garrett Mitchell (L) CF

9. David Hamilton (L) 3B