Oakland A's pitcher Trevor May speaks out on his anxiety issues stemming from pitch clock this season

Oakland Athletics pitcher Trevor May has been on the MLB injury list since April 19 due to anxiety issues stemming from the new pitch clock rules this season. May openly admitted that he sought help from the Athletics' sports psychologist to address the anxiety he has been experiencing. He has expressed frustration that few people seem to recognize the pressure pitchers face under the new rules.

In December 2022, Trevor May signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Athletics after spending two years with the New York Mets. This season, May has been vocal about his anxiety struggles, revealing that he contemplated retiring from baseball as a result. He credits Ben Strack, the sports psychologist for the Athletics, for helping him navigate through this challenging period.

Seeking placement on the injury list for mental health reasons has become more widely accepted in MLB, and May is the third player this season to do so, following Daniel Bard of the Colorado Rockies and Austin Meadows of the Detroit Tigers. The importance of mental health has gained recognition in professional sports, providing athletes with an opportunity to enhance their performance by prioritizing their mental well-being. Despite the difficulties May has faced, he finds it surprising that the pressure imposed by the new pitch clock rules is not widely acknowledged.

Trevor May on the new pitching clock rules:

“You feel like, how does nobody notice that pitching is so much harder now.”

Trevor May outrageously increased ERA depicts the troubles he is facing

Oakland Athletics reliever Trevor May's increased ERA of 12.00 this season starkly reflects the challenges he has been confronting. This is a significant deviation from his career ERA of 3.83. May explained that in the past, when he experienced similar anxiety while pitching, he could step off the mound and take a few deep breaths to regain composure. However, with the new pitch clock rules enforced by MLB, he no longer has that luxury.

While May has been back in the Athletics' clubhouse since early May, it is still unclear when he'll be back in action.