White Sox sign Anthony Kay after his NPB breakout, betting his improvements translate enough to help stabilize the rotation.

All the way over in Japan, former Chicago White Sox outfielder Dayán Viciedo has carved out a legitimately impressive second act. He’s been around in the NPB for years and most recently helped the Yokohama DeNA BayStars win the whole thing in 2024. Another key piece of that team, one that returned to the postseason again in 2025, was starting pitcher Anthony Kay.

A Familiar Blueprint, With a Japanese Detour

You never really know how much teammates actually talk, but you can’t help wondering if Kay ever asked Viciedo about his time in Chicago. And nobody, not Viciedo, not Kay, not the White Sox, not anyone, could’ve predicted the season he was about to have. His 2025 breakout was good enough to rocket him back to MLB after two years overseas.

The White Sox haven’t officially announced anything yet. Robert Murray of FanSided reported that the lefty has agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with the South Siders. This isn’t exactly the Winter Meetings siren going off, but for a team like the White Sox, it’s at least a sign of life. The hot stove is heating up.

Chris Getz has now addressed one of the White Sox biggest offseason needs by adding a starter on the lower end of the market with upside. Getz is following the same blueprint he used with former KBO star Erik Fedde before the 2024 season. As I broke down in a previous piece, Kay’s revamped pitch mix in Japan led to more swing-and-miss and a pile of ground balls, which can be a pitcher’s best friend. Just ask Mike Vasil and Adrian Houser.

Story continues below.

More Sports News

.wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla),
.wp-block-group:where(.alignfull) > .wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla) {
width: calc(100vw – (var(–side-spacing) * 2)) !important;
}
.embla {
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
}
.embla__container {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: nowrap;
gap: 0 !important;
width: 75%;
}
.embla__slide {
margin-inline-end: var(–column-gap);
}
.embla__arrow,
.embla__arrow:active,
.embla__arrow:target,
.embla__arrow:hover,
.embla__arrow:focus-visible {
display: none;
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
transform: translateY(-50%);
width: 40px;
height: 40px;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
line-height: 0;
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);
color: var(–color-primary);
border-radius: 100vw;

svg {
width: 24px;
}
}
.embla__prev {
left: 0;
}
.embla__next {
right: 0;
}
]]>

What the Numbers Actually Mean

Kay threw 155 innings over 24 games in 2025, posting a 1.74 ERA and a 0.981 WHIP. But this is where the context matters: the NPB uses a slightly different, less slippery baseball, and starters throw once a week instead of every five days. The league’s run-scoring environment is so suppressed that many have dubbed it a modern deadball era. Those factors are exactly why nobody expects him to import that same eye-popping statline stateside.

And as BeefLoaf over at FromThe108 pointed out, Steamer seems to agree, projecting Kay for a 4.26 FIP and a 4.17 ERA. At $6 million per year, that’s basically the high-water mark of what you can reasonably expect at that price point.

For perspective, Shane Smith posted a 4.10 FIP and 3.86 ERA across 146.1 innings last season.

What’s On Tap Next?

What is fair, and what those numbers absolutely don’t take away from, is that Kay’s repertoire has legitimately improved. The 2025 White Sox rotation was basically held together by duct tape, dreams, and returning starters Shane Smith and Davis Martin setting career highs in innings. Now those two, plus Kay, will be counted on to carry similar workloads again, if not more.

The hope is that the Sox can slot Kay into the rotation as a stabilizing presence rather than a miracle worker. This front office clearly believes the improved pitch mix is real, even if the NPB statline isn’t coming with him.