UPDATE: Cody Ponce of the Toronto Blue Jays has been diagnosed with an ACL sprain in his right knee. He has been placed on the injured list. It’s unclear if Ponce will need surgery. His status for the rest of the 2026 season has yet to be determined.
More doctors are going to look at the MRI to determine if surgery is needed. #BlueJays still have slight hope he can pitch again this year, but the next doc will decide that
The Toronto Blue Jays lost right-hander Cody Ponce to a brutal leg injury on Monday, March 30, in a matchup against the Colorado Rockies.
Ponce sprinted to the first baseline to field a ground ball off the bat of Kyle Karros. As the righty reached down to scoop the grounder, he pulled up lame. Ponce crumpled to the ground on the infield dirt. He would leave the field on the medical cart, unable to walk off under his own power. The injury is being called right knee discomfort, according to the team.
The 31-year-old was making his first start of the season. It was Ponce’s first appearance in the big leagues since 2021. He had spent the past four years pitching overseas. Ponce pitched three seasons in NPB, then moved to KBO for a year. He got an opportunity with the Toronto Blue Jays this season. The club has yet to elaborate on his injury as of Tuesday, March 31.
Toronto Blue Jays Lose Cody Ponce to Knee Injury
It’s a brutal news update for Ponce, given his career arc. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2015 draft. Ponce slowly worked his way through the Brewers’ minor league system. The righty reached Double-A by 2019. He posted a 3.29 ERA in 28 appearances that season. Ponce was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline that season. Right-hander Jordan Lyles went to the Brewers in the deal.
Ponce made the jump to Triple-A shortly into his Pirates tenure. He stumbled to a 5.30 ERA at the highest minor league level. Ponce did post a solid 24.4% strikeout rate in Triple-A. He finished off the 2019 campaign with a career-best 26.4% strikeout rate across two levels and a pair of organizations. After working primarily as a starter in the minors, he had made the majority of his appearances in relief that year.
It was his first start back in MLB since 2021.
#BlueJaysThe Pirates called up Ponce during the shortened 2020 season. He delivered a solid 3.18 ERA across five appearances. Ponce made three starts with Pittsburgh that season. He earned more big league opportunities the following season. The righty scuffled to a 7.04 ERA in 15 games. Ponce’s 4.26 xFIP and 4.06 SIERA suggested he deserved better results, but the rough year ended his time in MLB.
Blue Jays Get More Bad Injury News in Rotation
Terrible to see in his first MLB appearance since 2021. #BlueJays
The Blue Jays’ rotation has been crushed by injuries this season. Bowden Francis will miss the entire year after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Shane Bieber is working through forearm fatigue. Jose Berrios is on the injured list with an elbow fracture. Trey Yesavage is down with a shoulder impingement. The postseason star was slow-played in the spring. Instead of being built up by Opening Day, he began the year on the IL.
Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease were tremendous in the first two games of the season. Both pitchers racked up double-digit strikeouts. Eric Lauer, subbing in for Yesavage, came through with nine strikeouts in the third contest of the season. Ponce got the ball in the fourth game. His outing was off to a decent start, as he hadn’t allowed a run in the first two innings. Ponce was charged with an error on the play in which he was injured. Jake McCarthy came around to score on the soft grounder that Ponce failed to field.
Update: Blue Jays Get Tough Injury News on Cody Ponce