CHICAGO -- Players’ Weekend came one day early for Anthony Kay.
The White Sox southpaw planned to wear specially designed cleats by young patients at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago for the festivities. But when Kay got the call to start Thursday afternoon’s 2-0 loss to the Braves at Rate Field in a makeup game of a June 11 postponement, he adjusted that plan by one day.
“It’s just the kids designed it. They just wrote all over it,” Kay said. “They designed it however they wanted to and it was really cool to be able to wear those.”
These cleats featured everything from bright colors to pictures of a baseball to the names of these important designers. There were hearts on one of the cleats, which seems fitting, since the concept came straight from the hearts of Anthony and Alyssa, his wife.
Two families are in attendance at one game per homestand, courtesy of the Kays and the White Sox. These families have kids who are undergoing pediatric cancer treatment at Lurie, a partner of the White Sox.
They meet with Anthony and Alyssa pregame and are out for batting practice before moving to a suite, where the Kays provide food and beverage. Each cancer patient also leaves with a gift bag. The impetus of this program by the Kays comes from within their family, as Anthony’s 12-year-old niece, Annabella, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2025.
In Thursday’s setback, Kay had the name Bella on his cleats and wristband.
“I mean, it’s a fight every day,” Kay said of his niece. “She’s fighting every day to continue to get better and we are all praying for her.”
Kay pitched well enough to win, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk in six-plus innings to go with six strikeouts over his 94 pitches. But Grant Holmes and a trio of Braves relievers were a little bit better.
Better, as Holmes carried a no-hitter into the seventh until Andrew Benintendi’s single to left ended the bid. That inning marked the lone bonafide White Sox scoring chance, as Benintendi’s hit followed a leadoff walk to Miguel Vargas.
Didier Fuentes replaced Holmes and struck out Braden Montgomery, Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth. Dylan Lee and Raisel Iglesias also didn’t allow a baserunner, with four combined strikeouts, leaving the White Sox with that lone single.
“Everyone that we saw, obviously, was really good, starting with Holmes,” manager Will Venable said. “Thought he did a really nice job controlling the zone, pitched in parts of the zone that were just tough for us.
“Not a lot of pitches over the plate. I thought we did have some good swings early, hit some balls hard. Really, just no traffic there. Obviously, with just the one hit late and the one opportunity in the seventh there. But they did a really nice job pitching.”
This contest followed a hard-fought three-game weekend sweep of the Tigers in Detroit, putting the White Sox (66-61) in control of the American League Central, and a series loss at Wrigley Field during a three-game battle against the Cubs. It was an expected different atmosphere and even energy level on Thursday, although Kay pointed out the National League East leaders bring their own set of challenges.
“These guys are a really good team,” Kay said. “You have to be on top of your ‘A’ game against everyone in this league. I think we were ready. It just didn’t work out.”
“We all talked about it. We were all prepared and ready to go,” catcher Drew Romo said. “So it just happens, it's just part of it."
According to Statcast, Kay and Holmes each recorded 16 swings and misses. Kay had four of his come off the sweeper, with a focus on the way he was releasing said pitch coming in between starts.
Friday’s action brings Luis Robert Jr. and the Mets to Chicago, with the always popular Elvis Night on the agenda. The White Sox enter with three losses in four games, a 3 1/2-game lead over the Twins (63-65), a 4 1/2-game lead over the Guardians (62-66) and five over the Tigers (61-66).
The White Sox also get to leave their imprint on Players’ Weekend, which was started by Kay in a poignant and moving way. The program organized with his wife and the White Sox has given as much to them as the great moments they have provided these families.
“Yeah, for sure,” Kay said. “We are trying to give these kids something to look forward to and just a special moment away from the hospital.”