In July of 2024, the Los Angeles Dodgers broke the news that pitcher Dustin May, who had already been out since the middle of 2023 with a torn flexor tendon in his right arm, would miss the remainder of the season due to an esophageal tear.

The athlete recalled being “pretty close” to his comeback with the Dodgers when a piece of lettuce set him back even further. May explained that on July 10, 2024, he went to dinner while in Arizona, where he was rehabbing at the Dodgers’ Camelback Ranch facility.

Dodgers pitcher Dustin May talks about how he sustained a serious tear in his esophagus that derailed his hopes of returning to the mound last season.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Dustin May was only about a month away from rejoining the roster last summer after an elbow surgery and a Tommy John revision that left him benched in 2023. However, before he could even make it to a stint in minor-league rehab, a freak accident took him out for the remainder of the season and nearly cost him his life.

"I probably wouldn’t have made it through the night," May told the Los Angeles Times about the emergency surgery that saved his life

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and fan favorite Dustin May revealed that he required emergency surgery last year after experiencing a terrible mishap while eating a salad. Unfortunately, Dustin May missed the entire 2024 season as the Dodgers cruised to their second World Series championship of the decade.