Anthony Kay: Everything you need to know

Kay (1-1) allowed eight runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out one over 3.2 innings to take the loss versus the Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Kay threw 51 of 92 pitches for strikes, but this wasn't a pretty outing. Ildemaro Vargas took him deep twice, accounting for five of the eight runs on Kay's line. Through five appearances (three starts), Kay has a 5.57 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 13:12 K:BB over 21 innings. The southpaw's next outing is tentatively projected to be at home versus the Angels. While his performance wouldn't cut it for most teams, the lowly White Sox lack better options to turn to in the rotation.

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.

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.