SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Anthony Kay’s spring outing for the Chicago White Sox started with immediate trouble.
But the left-hander managed to turn a shaky opening into a solid performance.
Kay loaded the bases with one out in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks, putting himself in a difficult spot early. Instead of unraveling, he worked his way out of the jam, striking out Luken Baker before getting A.J. Vukovich to line out to left field.
The threat ended without a run crossing the plate.
From there, Kay settled into a far more comfortable rhythm.
By the end of his outing, the veteran lefty had thrown three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out two batters across 51 pitches. The recovery helped lead the White Sox to a 6–0 spring training victory.
“I just struggled to get in a groove very early on,” Kay said afterward. “But thankfully I was able to settle in and not give up any runs. I was able to lock in during the second inning.”
Adjusting mid-game
Kay admitted he may have been trying to do too much early in the outing.
“I think I was trying to do a little bit too much,” he said. “I was overthrowing a bit.”
A brief conversation with pitching coaches Zach Bove and Bobby Hearn helped him reset his approach.
“They just settled me down,” Kay said. “Just worry about throwing strikes and not trying to be too nasty. Just let them hit it a little bit.”
The adjustment worked. After escaping the first inning, Kay found his command and cruised through the remainder of his appearance.
A return to the big-league stage
For Kay, the outing represents another step toward reestablishing himself in Major League Baseball.
The 29-year-old hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2023 with the New York Mets. Over the past three seasons, he spent most of his time pitching in Japan while rebuilding his career.
Now back in the United States, Kay says the experience overseas helped him refine his game.
“I had to learn to be a starter again,” he said. “I had to work on my command over there, for sure. I definitely learned a lot about myself and really regained a lot of confidence.”
Despite enjoying his time abroad, Kay is clearly happy to be back competing for a major league role.
“Japan is great,” he said. “But it’s not the big leagues. I’m really excited to be here.”
The White Sox showed their commitment by signing him to a two-year deal worth at least $12 million.
White Sox finalize contract agreements
Off the field, the White Sox also finalized several roster matters Friday.
The team reached one-year contract agreements with 31 of its 32 players who are eligible for pre-arbitration salaries. Infielder Miguel Vargas was the lone player who did not come to terms and instead had his contract renewed by the club.
Vargas will earn $805,700 for the 2026 season.
Among the higher salaries in that group were pitcher Tyler Gilbert at $900,000 and Shane Smith at $825,900, along with infielder Lenyn Sosa at $803,550.
All players currently on the White Sox 40-man roster are now under contract for the upcoming season.
Roster cuts continue
The White Sox also trimmed their spring training roster following the victory over Arizona.
Right-hander Duncan Davitt was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte, while several other players were reassigned to minor league camp. That group included pitchers Mason Adams, Adisyn Coffey, Tyler Davis, Zach Franklin, and Jairo Iriarte, along with left-hander Shane Murphy.
Catcher Michael Turner and infielders Tim Elko and Jacob Gonzalez were also sent to minor league camp.
After the moves, Chicago has 57 players remaining in spring training — including 30 pitchers, five catchers, 11 infielders, and 11 outfielders.
White Sox offense provides support
The White Sox offense supplied plenty of support in the 6–0 win.
Jarred Kelenic delivered the biggest hit of the game with a three-run home run in the fourth inning, his first homer of the spring.
Chicago’s bullpen also impressed, as three relievers combined to pitch six scoreless innings while allowing only two hits and striking out five.
Manager Will Venable also noted the performance of White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami, who is currently representing Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Murakami played a key role in Japan’s 13–0 victory over Chinese Taipei, highlighted by Shohei Ohtani’s grand slam during a ten-run inning.
“He’s been in the middle of the action,” Venable said. “I think those guys playing in that atmosphere are all going to benefit from it.”
Looking ahead
The White Sox will continue their spring schedule Saturday with a matchup against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria.
Grant Taylor is expected to start for Chicago against Seattle’s Logan Gilbert as the team continues evaluating its roster ahead of Opening Day.
For Kay, Friday’s outing was a small but meaningful step forward — proof that even after early trouble, he still knows how to finish strong.
Leave a Reply