White Sox opener Grant Taylor, bulk pitcher Anthony Kay combine to stymie Blue Jays

For the second straight day, righthander Grant Taylor served as the White Sox’ opener and blanked the Blue Jays.

Taylor needed nine pitches to cruise the first inning Saturday, getting George Springer and Davis Schneider to fly out and striking out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. As Sox manager Will Venable intended, the smooth first gave Sox bulk pitcher Anthony Kay a softer landing by avoiding the top of one of baseball’s best lineups.

Taylor debuted last year with the Sox, making 36 appearances and compiling a 4.91 ERA. Like a lot of rookies do, Venable said Taylor “found out a lot about himself” in 2025 and had to learn how he matches up with major-league hitters.

“On the second try now here in Year 2, we’re seeing a much more confident guy that knows and is sure that he has great stuff that plays in this league,” Venable said.

Kay pitched 4 1/3 innings, only allowing Guerrero’s sixth-inning two run homer. The pitch itself, a 90.6 mph slider that clipped the lower left corner of the strike zone, wasn’t bad but Guerrero still sent it 437 feet to left.

Other than that, Kay was solid after adjusting to following an opener. Kay began his routine slightly later than he would if he were starting. The Sox also sent six hitters to the plate in the bottom of the first, making it difficult to time his bullpen.

“We want to start. It kind of feels like our game out there when we start,” Kay said. “It’s just something they like to do, and we’ve got to adjust a little bit.”=

Rule 5 return

The Sox officially returned right-handed pitcher Jedixson Paez to the Red Sox organization. Paez, 22, was a Rule 5 draft selection who had never pitched above Single-A before this season.