Former Blue Jays pitcher officially makes season-opening rotation with the White Sox

When the Toronto Blue Jays traded ace right-hander Marcus Stroman to the New York Mets nearly seven years ago, they received two fascinating pitching prospects in return: Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods-Richardson.

Woods-Richardson developed into a Top 100 prospect during his time in the system, but he was included in the trade for José Berrios before ever making his MLB debut. Kay, meanwhile, suffered through years of meager playing time and middling results, eventually getting cut loose by Toronto after they signed Chris Bassitt in free agency.

Another failed MLB stint in 2023 led Kay to Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, where he finally found some success. He returned to MLB this offseason by signing a two-year deal with the Chicago White Sox, and news has officially broke that he will open the season in their rotation.

This is an incredible comeback story for a veteran pitcher who was once one of the best starting pitching prospects in the business. Kay has made all of seven starts in his big-league career; if he stays healthy, that number could quadruple in 2026.

Anthony Kay, who was acquired for Marcus Stroman, finally getting chance to start in MLB with White Sox

Kay has had a fascinating baseball journey, one which culminated in him dominating the NPB in Japan last season to the tune of a 1.74 ERA in 155 innings. He spurned larger offers to return to Major League Baseball, receiving $12 million total from the White Sox (or $20 million, if his $10 million mutual option for 2028 is accepted by both parties).

He's the only lefty among the starting five the White Sox named to their rotation, so there's a good chance that he's asked to soak up a lot of innings for a young, rebuilding team. Over the past two years in Japan, he handled more than 290 frames.

This is about as good feeling as feel-good stories get, even if Kay never quite lived up to the hype with the Blue Jays. For what it's worth, Stroman lasted just a year and a half with the Mets, so it's not like either side made out brilliantly in the deal.

The other piece in that deal, Woods-Richardson, did also bring back Berrios, who has been a reliable presence in Toronto for a half-decade. His newfound injury troubles have weakened the Blue Jays' depth ahead of the 2026 season, but that's a minor footnote from a trade that is nearing its seventh anniversary.

For any Blue Jays fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Kay in the majors once again, you likely won't have to wait long — Toronto will square off with the White Sox very early in the season, from April 2-5.