The outlook for May's starting rotation is clouded as Shohei Ohtani's two hits lead the Dodgers to a 3-4 loss against the Red Sox, exposing lineup concerns.

If this game was a platform for Dustin May to compete for a rotation position, then after the Dodgers' 3-4 defeat to the Red Sox at Fenway Park today, this right-hander might be in trouble. Blake Snell is set to return, and manager Dave Roberts has stated that the rotation decision will focus on May or Emmett Sheehan, who earned the win on Saturday.

"With Shohei Ohtani's form improving and Snell returning (expected to start in a rehab game this weekend)," Roberts mentioned, "the rotation roles for Sheehan and May need to be reassessed." May assessed his performance: "I felt okay, mechanics were smooth, but execution was lacking."

At 1.98 meters, May had a shaky start: after being hit by a pitch in his first at-bat, he faced several crises in the first two innings but only allowed one run. He contained the Red Sox lineup from the second to the fourth innings, retiring nine batters in a row, including three strikeouts in the third. "I felt good during the middle innings," May admitted, "but in the fifth, my pitches were too high and lacking quality."

After retiring the first batter in the fifth, things unraveled: the Red Sox hit three consecutive singles, and Alex Bregman's two-run homer ended May's outing. "The third and fourth innings were his best performance," Roberts analyzed, "the strikeout rhythm was excellent. In the fifth, he allowed a hit, and Roman Anthony's fly ball hit the wall for a triple, followed by Bregman hitting a meatball for a home run." May reflected on his missed pitches: "Anything is better than a meatball."

Lineup support was slow: former Dodgers ace Walker Buehler issued only one walk in the first two innings. In the third, Freddie Freeman’s walk with the bases loaded allowed Miguel Rojas to tie the game. In the fourth, Michael Conforto hit a 424-foot homer to right-center (his ninth of the season), and Rojas walked again to take the lead, but unfortunately, they lost all advantage in the fifth.

The Dodgers drew nine walks throughout the game, but the heart of the lineup (3-4-5 hitters) went 0-for-13 with five strikeouts, repeatedly missing scoring opportunities. "We usually have excellent scoring efficiency," Conforto, who had three hits and two doubles in the game, stated, "but today we failed to capitalize. We must improve and focus on the series against the Reds." Roberts candidly noted, "The lineup is still struggling and needs to regroup to win the away series."

This loss brings May's record for the season to 6-7, with five innings pitched, five hits allowed, and four earned runs, along with five strikeouts. The Dodgers have lost a series for the second time since the All-Star break and will embark on a three-game series against the Reds.

Today, Mookie Betts returned as the leadoff hitter, and Shohei Ohtani moved back to the second spot. Ohtani went 4-for-2 today, drawing one walk and striking out once.