Anthony Kay remained confident despite a slow start to the baseball season. During a session on Thursday, the Chicago White Sox pitcher expressed, “I’m here to do a job and they know I’m capable.” He emphasized the importance of maintaining confidence and continually improving performance. Kay shared, “Thankfully we made some good ones to get right on the mound and put together some good results.” Recently, the left-hander has achieved impressive stats, being 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA, holding opponents to a .227 average, and accumulating 24 strikeouts in his past five games. He is set to pitch again on Saturday against the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field.
In a previous match, Kay demonstrated his skills by shutting down the Royals in the fifth inning on May 14, 2026, at Rate Field. His manager, Will Venable, stated, “He’s made his adjustments. He’s somebody that’s had to do that, going overseas and then coming back.” Venable noted the rewards of Kay’s hard work. Initially struggling, Kay had a 6.12 ERA in his first six outings, but recent changes led to better results, allowing just six earned runs in his last 27 innings.
Kay credits his improvement to discussions with pitching coach Zach Bove, focusing on “early counts, what pitches I was throwing.” He worked on pitch sequencing to reach better counts, such as 0-1 and 1-2. This approach paid off, solidifying his belief that he belongs in the major leagues. Kay previously played for teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets before pitching in Japan. Signing with the Sox has been significant for him.
Beyond performance, Kay enjoys camaraderie with teammates, often light-heartedly challenging fellow starters. “Just try to keep things light,” he remarked, enjoying the team environment while remaining focused on improvement.
“Just try to keep things light,” Kay said. “(When they) have a good outing (I’d say), ‘You go six (innings), why didn’t you go seven?’ Just trying to bust them around a little bit. Keep them humble and make sure everybody is still getting better every day and grinding through it.”
Meanwhile, reliever Jordan Leasure faced a setback, going on the 15-day injured list due to a right flexor strain. “Warming up, didn’t feel great, and then going into the game, right off the bat didn’t feel very good,” Leasure explained. He typically pushes through discomfort but chose to step out after experiencing significant pain.
Leasure holds a 6.27 ERA and has 18 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings over 18 appearances this season. After feeling soreness in his elbow, he was informed of an injury that requires eight to ten weeks of rest. The team announced that reliever Tyler Gilbert from Triple-A Charlotte will take Leasure’s place.
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