Even before the offseason started, it was clear that improving the pitching staff is one of the main priorities for Chris Getz and the White Sox front office. They wasted little time making headway on that front, signing left-handed pitcher Anthony Kay to a two-year/$12 million contract with a $10 million mutual option for 2028 earlier this week. While not flashy, it is an intriguing addition for a White Sox ballclub looking to take another step forward in 2026.
Kay's Career Arc
Kay is far from a household name in MLB circles, and for good reason. The extent of his big league time consists of 85.1 innings across five seasons with three different teams from 2019 to 2023. The former first round pick bounced from organization to organization, failing to cement himself at the MLB level.
With his prospects in North America seemingly fading away, Kay took his talents to Japan following the 2023 season and has blossomed ever since. In an exclusive interview with Robert Murray of Fansided in October, Kay described his journey and the adjustments he made while overseas, including adding a two-seam fastball and curveball to his arsenal. He also attributes the Japanese style of play and bouncing ideas off his teammates to improving his mentality and ability to consistently get hitters out.
The adjustments he made while in Japan have paid massive dividends. After a productive but unspectacular 2024 season with the Yokohama Bay Stars, Kay elevated his game to an entirely new level in 2025. Across 155 innings, he recorded a 1.74 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 7.5 K/9, ranking as one of the best pitchers in Japan in categories like groundball%, fastball velocity, WHIP, and ERA+. It is worth noting that Japanese baseball is currently very pitcher-friendly, but Kay still stacked up as one of the best pitchers in the league compared to his peers.
Anthony Kay’s 2025 in Japan:
— Alex Ortiz (@alexortiz_5) December 3, 2025
9-6, 1.74ERA, 24GS, 1CGSO, 155IP, 41BB, 130K
White Sox are getting a great arm for someone entering his age 31 season.
pic.twitter.com/ufoKJ6UuOc
Newest White Sox signing Anthony Kay’s 2025 NPB Percentiles (min. 75 IP)
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) December 3, 2025
Best of luck back in MLB! @TonyBuckets18 pic.twitter.com/Yb2Wyya2v0
Erick Fedde Parallels
As others have already pointed out, there are many parallels between Kay and former White Sox pitcher Erick Fedde. Both are former first round picks and top prospects who struggled in their initial MLB stint and went overseas to Asia to refine their games. While Fedde went to Korea and Kay went to Japan, both experienced significant success overseas, which they parlayed into free agent contracts with the White Sox.
Fedde had the best stretch of his MLB career in Chicago and was subsequently traded for three young position players. Given Fedde’s success, it makes sense that the organization would take another upside swing on a pitcher with a similar career arc. And from Kay’s perspective, seeing what Fedde did in Chicago is certainly noteworthy. Kay reportedly turned down more lucrative offers from Japanese teams in order to pursue this opportunity with the White Sox.
Potential Bargain Contract
The dynamics of the free agent pitching market further reinforce the value of this move for the South Siders. It’s still very early in the offseason, but it is already clear that free agent starting pitching is highly desirable and will not come cheap. Former White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease recently signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Blue Jays, and Cody Ponce, who is similar to Kay in that he has a minimal MLB track record and went to Asia to reinvent himself, just signed a three-year, $30 million contract.
Those two pitchers could not be more different in terms of their track records, but both got paid handsomely for what they bring to the table. Kay’s two-year/$12 million contract looks like a potential bargain by comparison, which is notable given the White Sox projected payroll number for 2026.
Win/Win Scenario on Paper
Kay will be guaranteed a spot in the starting rotation to open the season and will have a prime opportunity to prove himself, while the team is betting that this new and improved version of Kay will translate back to MLB. If that does happen, his presence will significantly improve the pitching staff. His contract would also become team-friendly as a result, making him an affordable rotation option for 2027 or a potential trade chip to obtain more young talent. He also adds a much-needed option from the left side in a rotation that entered the offseason very right-handed heavy. And even in a worst-case scenario where he performs poorly, it is not an albatross contract even by White Sox standards. It’s a low-risk, high-reward move that makes sense for both parties.
Intriguing Signing For White Sox
Chris Getz is in the unenviable position of needing to improve a team without having the budget to shop at the top of the market. And given the cost of free agents, bringing in impact players is easier said than done. It is a savvy move on his part to strike early on a pitcher with Kay’s upside at the dollar amount they signed him for. Bringing in an unproven pitcher is always a risk, but it’s the exact type of move the team should be making right now.
