Anthony Kay

{{for-multi|the cricketer|Anthony Hawkins-Kay|the footballer|Antony Kay}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Anthony Kay

|image = 20240309 Anthony Benjamin Kay, pitcher of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, at Yokohama Stadium.jpg

|caption = Kay with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars

|team = Yokohama DeNA BayStars

|number = 69

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|3|21}}

|birth_place = Stony Brook, New York, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = September 7

|debutyear = 2019

|debutteam = Toronto Blue Jays

|debut2league= NPB

|debut2date = April 6

|debut2year = 2024

|debut2team = Yokohama DeNA BayStars

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2023 season

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 4–2

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 5.67

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 88

|stat2league = NPB

|stat2year = 2024 season

|stat21label = Win–loss record

|stat21value = 6-9

|stat22label = Earned run average

|stat22value = 3.42

|stat23label = Strikeouts

|stat23value = 119

|teams =

Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|2019}}–{{mlby|2022}})
Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|2023}})
New York Mets ({{mlby|2023}})
Yokohama DeNA BayStars ({{by|2024}}–present)

|awards=

Japan Series champion (2024)

}}

Anthony Benjamin Kay (born March 21, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets. Kay was drafted by the Mets in the first round, with the 31st overall selection, of the 2016 MLB draft.

Career

=Amateur=

Kay attended Ward Melville High School in East Setauket, New York. He was drafted by the New York Mets in the 29th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign. He attended the University of Connecticut to play college baseball.{{cite web|url=http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-huskies/hc-uconn-baseball-anthony-kay-0510-20160509-story.html|title=Anthony Kay Has Matured So Much, The UConn Lefty Might Be A First Round MLB Pick|first=Amore|last=Don|work=Hartford Courant|date=May 9, 2016 }}

As a freshman at Connecticut in 2014, Kay appeared in 18 games and made eight starts. He went 5–4 with a 3.49 earned run average (ERA) and 56 strikeouts. As a sophomore, he started 14 out of 17 games and was 8–6 with a 2.07 ERA with 96 strikeouts.{{cite web|url=http://sportzedge.com/2015/04/21/uconns-anthony-kay-is-best-sophomore-pitcher-ever-for-huskies/|title=UConn's Anthony Kay is "best sophomore pitcher ever" for Huskies|first=John|last=Pierson|date=April 21, 2015}} As a junior, he started 17 games, going 9–2 with a 2.65 ERA and 111 strikeouts.{{cite web|url=http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-huskies/hc-baseball-draft-uconn-0610-20160609-story.html|title=UConn's Anthony Kay Expected To Go In First Two Rounds Of Draft Tonight|first=Hartford|last=Courant|date=June 10, 2016 }} In 2014 and 2015, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|author=Sean Gonsalves |url=http://www.capecodbaseball.org/news/season/index.html?article_id=2244 |title=Cape League Dominates 2016 MLB First - Year Player Draft |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=September 25, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=588490&seasonid=26713 |title=#50 Anthony Kay |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=September 23, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=735051&seasonid=29031 |title=Anthony Kay |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=September 23, 2021}}

=New York Mets=

File:Kay (48262285212) (cropped).jpg

The New York Mets selected Kay in the first round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft (31st overall) using the compensatory pick they received after the Washington Nationals signed Daniel Murphy.{{cite news|last1=Amore|first1=Don|title=Mets Select Anthony Kay Out Of UConn|url=http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-huskies/hc-baseball-draft-uconn-0610-20160609-story.html|access-date=June 10, 2016|work=Hartford Courant|date=June 10, 2016}} Kay did not appear in any games in the Mets' organization after being drafted and then underwent Tommy John surgery on October 4, 2016, putting him out for the entire 2017 season.{{cite web|title=Mets' Anthony Kay: Undergoes Tommy John surgery Tuesday|url=http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/mets-anthony-kay-undergoes-tommy-john-surgery-tuesday/|work=CBS Sports|date=October 4, 2016 |access-date=October 4, 2016}} He returned in 2018 to play for the Columbia Fireflies and the St. Lucie Mets, combining to go 7–11 with a 4.26 ERA in {{frac|122|2|3}} innings. In 2019, he opened the season with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, before being promoted to the Syracuse Mets on June 14.{{cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/anthony-kay-triple-a-mets-ward-melville-1.32235339|title=LI's Anthony Kay gets promoted to Triple-A with Mets as next stop|author=Tim Healey|website=Newsday|date=June 10, 2019|access-date=June 29, 2019}} Kay was named to the 2019 All-Star Futures Game.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2019-futures-game-rosters?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage|title=Here are the 2019 Futures Game rosters|author=Jim Callis|website=MLB.com|date=June 28, 2019|access-date=June 28, 2019}}

=Toronto Blue Jays=

On July 28, 2019, the Mets traded Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson to the Blue Jays for Marcus Stroman and cash considerations.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/marcus-stroman-deal-to-mets|title=Mets, Blue Jays agree to Stroman deal|website=MLB.com |date=July 28, 2019|access-date=July 28, 2019}} Kay was added to the major league roster on September 7 to start against the Tampa Bay Rays.

With the 2020 Toronto Blue Jays, Kay appeared in 13 games, compiling a 2-0 record with 5.14 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched.{{cite web| url = https://www.mlb.com/player/anthony-kay-641743| title = Anthony Kay Stats, Fantasy & News {{!}} Toronto Blue Jays| website = MLB.com}} In 2021, Kay made 11 appearances for the Blue Jays, recording a 5.61 ERA with 39 strikeouts across {{fraction|33|2|3}} innings of work.{{Cite web|title=Anthony Kay - Stats - Pitching|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/anthony-kay/20387/stats?position=P|access-date=November 5, 2023|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}

Kay dealt with an unspecified injury for most of 2022 and only made one appearance for the big-league club, in which he allowed one run in two innings of work. On December 16, 2022, Kay was designated for assignment following the signing of Chris Bassitt.{{Cite web|title=Blue Jays' Anthony Kay: DFA'd by Toronto|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/blue-jays-anthony-kay-dfad-by-toronto/amp/|access-date=November 5, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

=Chicago Cubs=

On December 23, 2022, Kay was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/12/cubs-claim-anthony-kay-designate-alfonso-rivas.html | title=Cubs Claim Anthony Kay, Designate Alfonso Rivas | date=December 23, 2022 }} The Cubs designated him for assignment on January 20, 2023, after the signing of Trey Mancini was made official.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-cubs-agree-to-terms-with-1b-of-dh-trey-mancini-on-a-two-year-major | title=Cubs agree to terms with 1B/OF/DH Trey Mancini on a two-year Major League contract | website=MLB.com }} On January 24, Kay cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.{{Cite web|title=Cubs' Anthony Kay: Sent outright to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cubs-anthony-kay-sent-outright-to-triple-a/|access-date=2023-01-24|website=cbssports.com|date=January 24, 2023 |language=en}} In 23 appearances for Iowa, he registered a 4.50 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 28.0 innings of work. On June 13, Kay had his contract selected to the major league roster.{{Cite web|title=Cubs' Anthony Kay: Selected to MLB bullpen|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cubs-anthony-kay-selected-to-mlb-bullpen/|access-date=June 13, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=June 13, 2023 |language=en}} In 13 appearances for Chicago, he posted a 6.35 ERA with 8 strikeouts in {{fraction|11|1|3}} innings pitched. On September 11, Kay was designated for assignment following the promotion of Pete Crow-Armstrong.{{Cite web|title=Cubs' Anthony Kay: Designated for assignment|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cubs-anthony-kay-designated-for-assignment-898883/amp/|access-date=September 12, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

=New York Mets (second stint)=

On September 14, 2023, Kay was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets.{{Cite web|title=Mets' Anthony Kay: Claimed by Mets|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/mets-anthony-kay-claimed-by-mets/|access-date=September 14, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=September 14, 2023 |language=en}} He spent most of his stint with the Triple–A Syracuse Mets; in four appearances for New York, he struggled to a 7.36 ERA with three strikeouts in {{fraction|3|2|3}} innings of work. Following the season on October 20, Kay was removed from the 40–man roster and placed on outright waivers.{{Cite web|title=Mets place six players on outright waivers: report|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mets-place-six-players-outright-223208850.html|access-date=October 20, 2023|website=sports.yahoo.com|date=October 20, 2023 |language=en}}

On October 24, 2023, Kay was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics.{{Cite web|title=Athletics' Anthony Kay: Claimed by Oakland|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/athletics-anthony-kay-claimed-by-oakland/|access-date=October 24, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=October 24, 2023 |language=en}} On November 6, Kay was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–A Las Vegas Aviators.{{Cite web|title=Athletics' Anthony Kay: Cast off 40-man roster|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/athletics-anthony-kay-cast-off-40-man-roster/|access-date=November 9, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=November 6, 2023 |language=en}} He elected free agency the same day.{{Cite web|title=2023 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2023-milb-free-agents/|access-date=January 9, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 8, 2023 |language=en}}

=Yokohama DeNA BayStars=

On January 9, 2024, Kay signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball.{{Cite web|title=Anthony Kay: Headed to Japan|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/anthony-kay-headed-to-japan/amp/|access-date=January 9, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}