Mets Pitcher Makes Debut After Decade Long Wait

The New York Mets are in full evaluation mode to close out the 2023 regular season.

After it was clear they weren't making the postseason, they were able to pivot to focusing their attention on their young position prospects and pitching staff to see who could be in the team's future plans moving forward.

The Mets were also able to finally get a debut from their pitcher that both parties waited a decade to have happen.

Anthony Kay was drafted by New York in the 29th round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of high school.

He decided to play college baseball at the University of Connecticut before being selected once again by the Mets in the 2016 MLB Draft in the first round.

This time, he decided to become a professional, but Tommy John surgery sidelined him until 2018.

Then, he was traded away to the Toronto Blue Jays as part of the Marcus Stroman package.

On Sept. 24 of this season, Kay finally made his long awaited Mets debut against the Philadelphia Phillies, throwing 1 2/3 hitless innings and striking out two batters.

"This is our third try now? I feel like we’re in a bad relationship. Hopefully this one ends a little better than the first two tries," the left hander told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

Maybe it will.

New York was able to get the reunion with their former first round pick after the Chicago Cubs place him on waivers in mid-September.

Once viewed as a potential starter for the Mets, Kay transformed himself into a bullpen pitcher with the Blue Jays.

His career hasn't been spectacular to date. He has a career 4-2 record with a 5.49 ERA across 83 2/3 innings pitched. 

This could be the spark that the 28-year-old is looking for, going back to an organization that thought so highly of him that they drafted him twice.

Kay will have opportunities to show that he deserves to be included on next year's roster as New York continues to be in evaluation mode down the final stretch of the season.