Kay took a no-decision Wednesday against the Rays, allowing one run on four hits and one walk in 2.2 innings. He struck out one.
Serving as a bulk reliever behind opener Jordan Leasure on Wednesday, Kay did his part to keep the White Sox in the game but wasn't particularly efficient. It was the left-hander's shortest outing of the year so far, and it was disappointing to see him get pulled at just 71 pitches after he tossed 100 his last time out. It's unclear how Chicago will choose to deploy Kay going forward -- the hurler has a pair of appearances each as a starter and reliever -- but he'll bring a respectable 2.60 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB across 17.1 frames into his next scheduled outing versus in Arizona.
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White Sox's Anthony Kay: In line for bulk relief Thursday
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Kay is expected to serve as a bulk reliever behind opening pitcher Jordan Leasure in Thursday's home game against the Rays.
The White Sox have made liberal use of openers through their first 19 games, using Grant Taylor in that capacity on four occasions and now Leasure in what will be his second career start and first of 2026. The arrangement should prove to be a favorable one for Kay, who will have a better chance at qualifying for a win as a bulk reliever than as a starter and will likely enter the game facing the bottom half of the Tampa Bay lineup. Through his first three outings (two starts) of the season, Kay has gone 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 11:8 K:BB in 14.2 innings.
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White Sox's Anthony Kay: Notches first MLB win since 2021
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Kay (1-0) earned the victory over Kansas City on Thursday, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out six batters over 5.2 scoreless innings.
Kay tossed 100 pitches in the outing, racking up 13 whiffs among 63 total strikes. He did hit two batters, but neither instance cost him on the scoreboard. Kay has held his own in his return to the majors after spending the previous two years in Japan, though Thursday's outing was his first time completing five innings this season. Overall, he has a 2.45 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with an 11:8 K:BB over 14.2 frames spanning three appearances. With those numbers, he could start attracting attention even in mixed fantasy leagues, especially if he can start to consistently pitch deep enough to qualify for wins.
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White Sox's Anthony Kay: No-decision against former club
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Kay didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Blue Jays, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks over 4.1 innings of relief. He didn't strike out a batter.
Facing the team he made his big-league debut with back in 2019, the southpaw took the mound as a bulk reliever after Grant Taylor worked a scoreless first inning. Kay kept the goose eggs coming until Vladimir Guerrero touched him up for a two-run shot in the sixth, and he exited after 76 pitches (46 strikes). Kay is still looking for his first MLB win since 2021 after spending the last two seasons in Japan, and he'll take a 4.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 5:6 K:BB through nine innings into his next outing, which is set to come on the road next week in Kansas City.
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White Sox's Anthony Kay: No-decision in first start of 2026
Rotowire
Kay did not factor into Sunday's decision against the Brewers. He allowed two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out five across 4.2 innings.
Kay yielded a two-run homer to Gary Sanchez in the first frame, but the former received plenty of run support from the White Sox through the first three innings of Sunday's game. However, Kay allowed at least two baserunners in three of five innings, running up his pitch count to 92 (54 strikes) before being pulled with two outs in the fifth frame. Kay mostly worked out of the bullpen in his MLB career before serving as a starter in 2024 and 2025 in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan with the Yokohama Bay Stars. Kay is slated to start next weekend at home against the Blue Jays.
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White Sox's Anthony Kay: Penciled in as No. 3 starter
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Kay is expected to begin the season as the White Sox's No. 3 starter, lining him up to make his season debut March 29 at Milwaukee, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
The left-hander joined Chicago on a two-year, $12 million contract in December after pitching to a 2.53 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 249:94 K:BB over 291.2 frames in Japan the previous two years. Kay was unremarkable across parts of five MLB seasons before heading to Japan, but his return stateside has gone well so far with a 2.16 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in five spring starts.
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White Sox's Anthony Kay: Added sinker while overseas
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Kay developed a sinker while pitching with the Yokohama Bay Stars, Kade Heather of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Kay struggled to establish himself in the majors in partial seasons from 2019 through 2023, and he spent the last two seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League. He developed the sinker because his high fastball was less effective overseas, given that Japanese players typically have a flatter swing. Kay is now readjusting his approach in his return to MLB, where he previously relied primarily on his fastball, slider and changeup. He is set to make his first Cactus League start Tuesday, though it's unclear how much of his pitch mix he will show.
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White Sox's Anthony Kay: Gets $12 million from White Sox
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The White Sox signed Kay to a two-year, $12 million contract Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Kay is returning to the majors after a two-year stint with the Yokohama Bay Stars of Nippon Professional Baseball, for whom he held a 2.53 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 249:94 K:BB over 291.2 innings. The left-hander set a new franchise record with a 1.74 ERA in 2025 and also led NPB with a 57.8 percent groundball rate. Kay posted a 5.59 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 88:47 K:BB across 85.1 frames at the big-league level from 2019-2023. He'll slide into Chicago's rotation in 2026.
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Anthony Kay: Headed to Japan
Rotowire
Kay signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball on Tuesday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
After logging a 3.76 ERA and 1.28 WHIP across 40.2 innings in Triple-A last season, Kay will now take his talents overseas. Despite spending most of last season in the minors, the 28-year-old southpaw made 16 appearances in the big leagues, giving up 10 runs across 14.2 frames between the Mets and Cubs.
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Athletics' Anthony Kay: Cast off 40-man roster
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Oakland outrighted Kay to Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday.
The Athletics scooped Kay off waivers from the Mets on Oct. 24, but his stay on the 40-man roster didn't last long. The 28-year-old lefty has some level of pedigree to his name as a 2016 first-round pick, but he's moved into a relief role at this stage of his career and owns a pedestrian 5.59 ERA over 85.1 career innings in the majors.
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Athletics' Anthony Kay: Claimed by Oakland
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Oakland claimed Kay off waivers from the Mets on Tuesday.
Kay was pushed off the Mets' 40-man roster last week after struggling to a 6.14 ERA and 11:9 K:BB over 14.2 major-league innings in 2023. The 28-year-old left-hander will look to earn a spot in the Athletics' bullpen next spring.
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Mets' Anthony Kay: Summoned to majors
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Kay was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday.
Kay was claimed off waivers from the Cubs earlier this month as he returned to his original organization. He tossed 1.2 scoreless frames with two strikeouts in a relief appearance versus the Phillies on Sunday.
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Mets' Anthony Kay: Claimed by Mets
Rotowire
The Mets claimed Kay off waivers from the Cubs on Thursday and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse.
Kay was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Monday, having allowed eight earned runs on 12 hits and eight walks through 11.1 major-league innings this season. A first-round draft pick of the Mets back in 2016, the 28-year-old left-hander returns as organizational bullpen depth.
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Cubs' Anthony Kay: Designated for assignment
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Kay was designated for assignment Monday.
Kay was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Sept. 1, and he wound up losing his spot on the 40-man roster a few days later. It remains to be seen if he will remain with the Cubs or head elsewhere.
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Cubs' Anthony Kay: Back in minors
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Kay was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
Kay came up from the minors Tuesday as Jose Cuas went on the bereavement list, and he'll head back to Iowa following Cuas' return. Kay holds a 6.35 ERA and 1.76 WHIP through 11.1 frames in the majors and hasn't appeared in a game since Aug. 1.
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Cubs' Anthony Kay: Recalled from Iowa
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The Cubs recalled Kay from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
The 28-year-old left-hander will join Chicago's bullpen ahead of Tuesday's game against the Brewers as Jose Cuas goes on bereavement leave. Kay holds a 6.35 ERA and 8:8 K:BB through 11.1 major-league innings this season.
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Cubs' Anthony Kay: Selected to MLB bullpen
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Kay's contract from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Kay was showing a 4.50 ERA and 32:15 K:BB through 28 innings this season at the Triple-A level. The 28-year-old left-hander is presumably going to work in a low-leverage relief role for Chicago.
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Cubs' Anthony Kay: Sent outright to Triple-A
Rotowire
Kay cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Kay was designated for assignment over the weekend and went unclaimed. In 28 MLB appearances from 2018-2022, the left-hander has posted a 5.48 ERA with a 77:38 K:BB over 70.2 innings of work. He provides some depth for the Triple-A staff in 2023.
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Cubs' Anthony Kay: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Kay was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Friday.
The team needed to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Trey Mancini. Kay was claimed from the Blue Jays less than a month ago and will now go through the waiver process again. The left-hander missed most of the 2022 season with an undisclosed injury.
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Cubs' Anthony Kay: Claimed by Cubs
Rotowire
Kay was claimed off waivers by the Cubs on Friday.
After being designated for assignment by Toronto a week ago, Kay will now compete for a spot in the Cubs' bullpen. He spent most of 2022 sidelined with an injury and recorded a 5.40 ERA and 1.60 WHIP through 20 frames in Triple-A while he was healthy. Alfonso Rivas was designated for assignment as a corresponding move.
