Former Expos lefty Rudy May passes away at 80

November 15, 2024

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

Former Montreal Expos left-hander Rudy May passed away on October 19 at the age of 80.

A cause of death has not been released, but Canadian Baseball Network writer Danny Gallagher reported that May had been battling diabetes.

May pitched two of his 16 big-league seasons with the Expos in 1978 and 1979. In a combined 60 appearances (30 starts) with the Expos, he went 18-13 with a 3.26 ERA, striking out 154 batters in 237 2/3 innings.

Overall, the crafty southpaw finished his major league career with a 152-156 record and a 3.46 ERA in 535 games (360 starts). He also toed the rubber for the California Angels, New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles.

Played high school ball with Joe Morgan

Born on July 18, 1944 in Coffeyville, Kan., May was the oldest of three boys in his family. After the Second World War, his family relocated to Oakland, Calif., where he attended Castlemont High School and played on a team with future Hall of Famer Joe Morgan.

An excellent all-around athlete, May received a sports scholarship from the University of San Francisco, but he left the school to sign with the Minnesota Twins in 1962.

He began his pro career as a hard-throwing lefty with the Twins’ Class-A Bismarck-Mandan Pards in 1963, going 11-11 with a 4.29 ERA, while striking out 173 and walking 120 in 168 innings in 24 appearances.

After that season, he was selected in the first-year draft by Chicago White Sox. He split 1964 between class-A and triple-A in the White Sox organization before being dealt to the Phillies that October. Less than two months later, the Phillies flipped him to the Angels for right-hander Bo Belinsky.

Outstanding MLB debut

May would crack the Angels’ Opening Day roster in 1965, and on April 18, he enjoyed one of the greatest debuts in major league history. Starting against the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium, he limited the Tigers to one hit and an unearned run, while striking out 10, in nine innings. Unfortunately, the Angels lost 4-1 in 13 innings.

The hard-throwing 20-year-old finished his rookie season with a 4-9 record and a 3.92 ERA in 30 appearances (19 starts) and his future looked promising. But early in 1966, he tore ligaments in his left shoulder. The injury forced him to learn how to pitch without an overpowering fastball.

He spent three seasons in the Angels’ minors before resurfacing in the big leagues in 1969. Over the next five seasons with the Angels, he evolved into a reliable starter, tossing 200 or more innings three times.

Sold to Yankees

After struggling at the start of the 1974 campaign, May had his contract purchased from the Angels by the Yankees and he would thrive in the Big Apple. In 17 appearances (15 starts) for the Bronx Bombers that season, he went 8-4 with a 2.28 ERA and tossed eight complete games. He followed that up by going 14-12 with a 3.06 ERA and throwing 13 complete games for the Yankees in 1975.

But the following season he clashed with manager Billy Martin. The two argued about May’s durability. Martin was critical of the veteran lefty for not throwing a complete game through his first eight starts.

Traded to Orioles

On June 15, 1976, May was traded to the Orioles as part of a 10-player deal. Tippy Martinez, Rick Dempsey, Scott McGregor and Dave Pagan (Nipawin, Sask.) were also shipped to the Yankees in exchange for Doyle Alexander, Ken Holtzman, Grant Jackson, Elrod Hendricks and Jimmy Freeman.

May responded by going 11-7 with a 3.78 ERA in 24 appearances (21 starts) with the Orioles in 1976 then registering career-bests with 18 wins and 251 2/3 innings in 1977.

Swapped to Expos

On December 7, 1977, May was traded again – this time to the Expos in a six-player deal in which Bryn Smith and Randy Miller also landed in Montreal with Joe Kerrigan, Gary Roenicke and Don Stanhouse headed to the O’s.

The Expos were thrilled to be adding May.

“I love it,” Expos manager Dick Williams told the Montreal Star about acquiring May. “Because I’ve got another starter, one that has been consistent the last few years. He was a hard thrower when he used to beat my Oakland clubs, he’s a finesser now. Now we’ve got four good starters, and hopefully we’re not through here.”

For his part, May was surprised to be dealt.

“This is the first time I’ve heard of it,” May told the Montreal Star’s Bob Dunn immediately after the trade. “Believe me, it really hits me by surprise. I guess I like it, but I don’t know Montreal.”

Positive presence in camp

May was more positive about the deal next spring in Expos’ camp. He was set to join the Expos’ starting rotation along with left-hander Ross Grimsley, another former Oriole, who was signed as a free agent.

“Here’s the way I look at it,” May told the Montreal Gazette for their March 1, 1978 edition. “If they’re simply counting on Ross and me to lift them over .500, it won’t work out. But if they think Ross and I can assist 23 other guys in having a big season . . . then the prospects can be damn good.”

May started the second game of the regular season for the Expos and pitched 8 1/3 innings, allowing five runs but only two of them earned, in the Expos’ 6-5 loss to the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.

It was the first of a series of hard-luck losses May would experience that season. Starting in mid-July, the veteran lefty also missed seven weeks with an ankle injury.

He returned to the rotation in September to toss a shutout against the eventual National League East champion Phillies on September 26.

“I’m just delighted with the win,” May told the Montreal Gazette after the game. “For a long time, I had some doubt that I could win in this league. Now I’m really looking forward to great things next year.”

Overall, it was a disappointing first season with the Expos for May. He finished with an 8-10 record and a 3.88 ERA in 114 innings in 27 appearances.

Starts season in bullpen

The following year, Williams announced in spring training that he was going with a four-man starting rotation that included Steve Rogers, Ross Grimsley, Scott Sanderson and Bill Lee. The plan was to employ May as a long reliever and fifth starter.

May was not happy with the role and asked for a trade before the All-Star break, but he didn’t let his frustration impact his performance. He was used exclusively in relief until July 31 when he started and hurled a three-hit shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals.

“It’s a personal satisfaction to know I can still pitch,” May told the Montreal Gazette after the game. “It’s a bigger lift for the club though. The main thing now is that we win.”

May went back to the bullpen after that start but he returned to the rotation in September and proceeded to 3-1 with a 2.37 ERA in five starts. The upstart Expos, however, came up just short, finishing with a 95-65 record, three games behind the eventual World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates.

May completed the season with a 10-3 record and a 2.31 ERA in 33 games (seven starts).

Heads back to Big Apple

After the season, Expos general manager John McHale made May a contract offer but told the veteran lefty that he couldn’t guarantee him what his role would be, so May opted to become a free agent.

The deep-pocketed Yankees called and signed May to a three-year, $1 million contract.

“I liked the idea of coming back,” May told the Jersey Journal. “I enjoyed being a Yankee before and I’m going to enjoy it again. I have security and I’m back with a winner.”

May started the 1980 season in the Yankees’ bullpen, but he pitched himself into the rotation. In his first season back with Yankees, May went 15-5 with a league-leading 2.46 ERA in 41 games (17 starts).

May would play his final three big league seasons with the Yankees prior to retiring in 1983.

Post-playing career

According to Gallagher, May became a franchise marketing consultant for British Petroleum for two decades following his playing career.

He settled with his wife, Marion, in Hertford, N.C.

He is survived by Marion, his six children and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

You can read his official obituary here.