Cody Ponce of the Toronto Blue Jays suffered a significant injury immediately upon his return to Major League Baseball, in what comes as deeply unfortunate news for both the player and the club, with reports indicating he is likely to miss the remainder of the season.
Toronto manager John Schneider said the "best-case scenario" would be Ponce avoiding the operating table, adding that "even if it's not surgery, it's still going to be a pretty significant chunk of time" that he's out. Recovering in time to pitch again this year would be very difficult.
Ponce made his start in a 2026 MLB home game against the Colorado Rockies on March 31, but was forced to exit in the third inning due to a knee injury.
After delivering two scoreless innings, Ponce moved to field a ground ball with one out and a runner on second base in the third inning. In the process, his right leg buckled, causing him to collapse on the field. The severity of the pain was evident, and he was unable to leave the field under his own power, ultimately being transported off by cart.
Subsequent medical examinations revealed a sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. While the injury does not constitute a full tear requiring a yearlong rehabilitation, it is expected to sideline him for the duration of the season.
The development represents a particularly disappointing setback for Ponce, who had earned a return to MLB after an outstanding campaign in the KBO League with the Hanwha Eagles last year.
Ponce previously pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2020 and 2021 before continuing his career in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, where he played for the Nippon-Ham Fighters (2022-2023) and the Rakuten Golden Eagles (2024). He joined the Hanwha Eagles ahead of the 2025 season, marking his entry into the KBO League.
Hanwha's acquisition of Ponce proved highly successful. Over 180 and 2/3 innings last season, he posted a 17-1 record, a 1.89 earned run average and 252 strikeouts. He led the league in ERA, wins, winning percentage and strikeouts, becoming the first foreign pitcher in KBO history to claim all four major pitching titles, while also setting a single-season strikeout record.
Ponce's performance in Korea drew significant attention from MLB organizations, culminating in a three-year, $30 million contract with Toronto.
Returning to an MLB mound for the first time in approximately five years, Ponce made his debut for Toronto against Colorado on March 30. However, the injury has now cast doubt over his availability until next season.
The Blue Jays, meanwhile, have encountered a series of injury setbacks among key players early in the season.
Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios and Trey Yesavage in the starting rotation have all been sidelined by injuries, with Ponce now joining them. Additionally, starting catcher Alejandro Kirk recently sustained a fractured thumb after being struck by a foul ball and is expected to be out for several weeks.
(Translated and edited with ChatGPT/The Korea Herald)
khnews@heraldcorp.com
