Anthony Kay’s background
Kay, 30, is a 6-foot, 225-pound left-handed pitcher who was the 31st overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft by the New York Mets out of UConn. Kay was the Mets’ No. 4 prospect when he and sixth-ranked prospect Simeon Woods-Richardson were traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for starting pitcher Marcus Stroman.
101 of Kay’s 154 appearances in college and the minor leagues came as a starting pitcher, but he’s made just seven starts compared to 37 relief appearances in the major leagues. Across 85.1 innings in MLB, he has a 5.59 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP with 88 strikeouts and 47 walks. In the minor leagues, Kay recorded a 5.01 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP with 368 strikeouts and 153 walks in 344.2 innings.
The Blue Jays designated Kay for assignment following the 2022 season, but he was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs. Kay allowed eight earned runs in 13 relief appearances with the Cubs, but most of his time was spent in Triple-A Iowa.
The Cubs designated Kay for assigment in September 2023, and he was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets. He’d pitch just 3.1 innings with the Mets before electing free agency after the season.
Kay’s major league career was also impacted by five stints on the injured list from 2021-22. He also had Tommy John surgery in 2016 and dealt with a back injury in 2019.
But Kay seems to have reinvented himself in Japan, where he put together back-to-back strong seasons as a starting pitcher. In 2024, he logged 148.1 innings and finished with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He followed that up with the best year of his career in 2025, posting a stellar 1.74 ERA in 155 innings.
Where Kay fits on the White Sox
Shane Smith and Davis Martin appear to be surefire picks to pitch in the White Sox starting rotation in 2026, and now Kay likely joins that mix. There’s also Sean Burke and Jonathan Cannon, who were in the rotation for most of the 2025 season but also spent time in the minor leagues. Kay is the only left in that group, adding to his value.
Right-handed prospects like Tanner McDougal and Duncan Davitt were also recently added to the 40-man roster and could earn spots in the starting rotation. Drew Thorpe is coming back from Tommy John Surgery but could rejoin the White Sox in 2026, while top pitching prospects Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz –– both left-handers –– could push to make their MLB debuts.
According to FanGraphs, Kay’s pitch mix features a fastball that averages 94.1 mph, a curveball at 77.9 mph, a changeup at 86 mph, a slider at 84.7 mph and a cutter at 87.9 mph.