Former Blue Jays reliever Anthony Kay DFA'd by Cubs, is he worth another look?

Remember Anthony Kay? Of course you do. He was only just recently a member of this Toronto Blue Jays staff, being designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Chris Bassitt.

Kay, 27, was picked up off of waivers by the Chicago Cubs but wound up being a part of their organization for just a short time before they also DFA'd him, this time to make room for Trey Mancini, who is joining the club on a two-year deal.

Sure, Kay has had issues finding consistency in the big leagues to this point in his career but he could be worth a re-claim by the Jays.

For starters, Kay still has one more minor league option to his name. If the Jays were to bring him back into the fold, he could be stashed in the minors for the upcoming season. He also isn't set to reach arbitration until after the 2024 season so he can be had for cheap.

Obviously, his being added to the 40-man roster again would mean that a current member would need to be DFA'd to make room for Kay. While I would understand fans being hesitant about such a move, Kay is a (much needed) lefty who would be a better use of a spot on the 40-man than say, Thomas Hatch or Trent Thornton.

A former first-round pick by the Mets back in 2016, Kay has certainly had his fair share of issues. Since coming over to the Jays organization in the Marcus Stroman trade, he has 28 appearances in the big leagues under his belt and a combined 5.48 ERA and 82 ERA+, the numbers just haven't been there.

However, Kay possesses an intriguing pitch repertoire that includes both a sweeping slider and curveball, which pair nicely with a mid-90s fastball. His control has faltered a bit in recent years but he remains a high-strikeout pitcher, which clubs can never have enough of.

Blue Jays fans understandably may not have much more faith in Kay. He had failed to produce for the club across multiple years. Just remember that he is only a few years removed from being an exciting prospect for the Mets and was a 2.96 ERA pitcher in 26 starts in the Mets' minor league system just three years ago.

Worth a(nother) flyer?