Anthony Kay, once DFA’d by the Cubs, is dominating Japan’s NPB with Yokohama and fits the White Sox blueprint.

Do you ever stop mid-game and wonder who got shoved off the 40-man roster when someone got called up? Probably not. But if you did, you might remember that the White Sox once drafted and traded Bailey Horn twice, only to use his roster spot for Rafael Ortega.

If you’re a normal, well-adjusted human being, this kind of thing doesn’t occupy your brain. But if you’re not—and you’ve been watching the MLB playoffs—you’ve probably at least noticed what the Cubs are up to. If not, let the pope tell it.

Because, like it or not, White Sox fans are always somehow involved.

Enter Pete Crow-Armstrong: the South Side’s favorite (or least favorite) former Mets prospect, acquired for Javier Báez back in the “sell everything” era. As Báez and the Tigers got bounced from the postseason, I went back to check who the Cubs designated for assignment to make room for Crow-Armstrong’s debut last year. Turns out, they waived another former Mets prospect, 2016 1st round pick Anthony Kay.

Story continues below.

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While Crow-Armstrong is still trying to find his footing in MLB, Kay’s making playoff starts halfway across the world. Over in Japan, pitching for the Yokohama BayStars, he threw seven innings in a postseason start, giving up two earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out eight. That’s 118 pitches, 13 of them whiffs, and the kind of outing that makes you wonder what he figured out over there.

From DFA to Dominance in Japan

Asian leagues get dismissed as retirement homes for ex-big leaguers or soft landings for guys who couldn’t quite hack it stateside. In reality, they’re fiercely competitive and getting sharper every year. You may have noticed a few players who have excelled here recently. Plenty of imports wash out, but Kay didn’t. He’s been flat-out dominant.

Yokohama signed him in 2024, and his first season was fine, middle-of-the-rotation stuff. But in 2025, he made real adjustments and turned into one of the best pitchers in Japan. He set a BayStars club record with a 1.74 ERA and another for most innings by a non-Japanese pitcher at 155. That’s not just eating innings. That’s excellence.

A Rebuilt Arsenal Worth Watching

So what changed? He completely reworked his arsenal. Kay lowered his four-seamer usage that made up half his mix in year one and leaned into a nasty cutter that gets a 30% called-strike-plus-whiff rate and a 6.5 expected pitch value. His two seam fastball generated grounders 85% of the time. His sweeper became his go-to put-away pitch against lefties, and does so at a 20% clip. Sprinkle in the changeup and a work in progress curveball, and suddenly you’ve got more than a depth piece, you’ve got a weapon with a six-pitch mix.

On a recent podcast episode with Robert Murray from FanSided, Murray started the show stating that kay is returning to MLB. The lefty hinted at a state-side return recently, but sounded like he would weigh his options. He might be perfectly happy in Yokohama, making good money and dominating. And no team has been reported as having interest, this isn’t that kind of article. That said, Jon Heyman did report that Kay is “expected” to return to the big leagues.

But here’s the thing: his performance profile looks a lot like other pitchers who’ve made successful returns from Asia. Left-handed starter who reinvented his stuff, proven durability, and the kind of adaptability you only get from a guy who’s had to fight his way back from being DFA’d.

The White Sox Have Actually Done This Before

And here’s where it gets interesting: the White Sox have actually pulled off a move like this with Eric Fedde, who returned to the United States after two dominant years in Korea and became one of their most reliable starters before being flipped at the deadline. That’s the blueprint: find a guy who’s figured something out, bring him in, let him prove it, and either keep him or trade him for value.

They’ve also shown they’re willing to dig through the scrap heap domestically. Adrian Houser, plucked from Triple-A after the Texas Rangers gave up on him, has quietly put together three straight quality starts. Mike Vasil, a Rule 5 draft pick, has flashed potential. The template exists.

So why not keep doing it? Kay’s another former Mets prospect, just like Vasil. He’s reinvented himself in a competitive league. He’s durable. And if he does decide to test the MLB waters again, he’s exactly the type of low-risk, high-upside bet the White Sox should be making.

What’s On Tap Next?

The difference between a functional front office and a dysfunctional one isn’t always about making the splashy moves. It’s about consistently identifying undervalued talent and giving them a shot. The Sox have done it before. The question is whether they’ll keep doing it, or if Fedde was just a lucky break.

The White Sox have shown they can identify these guys. Fedde proved the model works. Houser and Vasil are proving it again right now. The question isn’t whether they should be looking at players like Anthony Kay, it’s whether they’ll be consistent enough to make it a real strategy instead of a lucky accident.