Toronto Blue Jays starter Cody Ponce will miss “significant time” after suffering an ACL sprain during Monday’s game, manager John Schneider said. Ponce was making his Blue Jays debut against the Colorado Rockies after signing with Toronto this offseason from the KBO. While he appears to have avoided the worst, the injury offsets what the Blue Jays expected to be a versatile addition. The team is waiting on “a couple more opinions” before a definite timetable is established, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.
Cody Ponce to Miss “Significant Time” After ACL Sprain in Blue Jays Debut
Ponce had a bit of major league experience before this year, pitching in a total of 20 games (five starts) for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2020 and 2021. In his time with the Buccos, he had a 5.86 ERA, a 1.536 WHIP, and a 1-7 record. Hardly impressive numbers, so the Pirates eventually released him. Ponce then played three seasons in Japan, with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from 2022 to 2023, and the Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2024. While he had a 4.54 ERA overall in NPB, he provided one major highlight with a no-hitter in 2022.
Cody Ponce suffered a right ACL sprain, will miss significant time, said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. Waiting for a couple more opinions before exact course is charted.
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) March 31, 2026
Ponce then signed with the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League ahead of the 2025 season. He was phenomenal with his new team, going 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA, a 0.935 WHIP, and 252 strikeouts in 180 2/3 innings (29 starts). This performance won him KBO MVP honors, putting him back on the map of MLB scouts.
The Blue Jays signed Ponce as a starter in free agency, but also viewed him as a potential long relief solution on occasion. In Monday’s start, he had given up one run on one hit through 2 1/3 innings, when he suffered the ACL sprain while fielding a chopper off the bat of Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy. A couple of pitches earlier, he committed a balk when he slipped off the mound. While it remains unclear whether there’s a link, Ponce’s awkward landing may have left his knee more vulnerable.
This is the play on which Cody Ponce was hurt. He had slipped on the mound a couple of pitches earlier, rolling off the mound for a balk. https://t.co/LPjBDzjWAC pic.twitter.com/CzsqCujNwZ
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) March 30, 2026
Main Photo Credit: © Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
