{"id":655190,"date":"2026-03-31T21:12:28","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T21:12:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/655190\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T21:12:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T21:12:28","slug":"blue-jays-get-bad-news-on-cody-ponces-knee-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/655190\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Jays get bad news on Cody Ponce’s knee injury"},"content":{"rendered":"

Things aren\u2019t looking good for the Toronto Blue Jays who received bad news to start the MLB<\/a> season.<\/p>\n

MORE: Blue Jays pitcher carted off field after scary injury<\/a><\/p>\n

Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters Ponce suffered a right ACL sprain and will miss significant time to recover.<\/p>\n

He\u2019ll be going to injured list. No official move yet, but Lazaro Estrada is here in clubhouse.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) March 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The Jays will place Ponce on the injured list and hope he can return to the mound this season. <\/p>\n

SportsNet\u2019s Shi Davidi reported that right-hander Lazaro Estrada, who made two appearances for the Blue Jays last season, was in the team\u2019s clubhouse on March 31.<\/p>\n

Cody Ponce\u2019s diagnosis right now is a right ACL sprain.<\/p>\n

More doctors are reviewing the MRI now to see if there\u2019s a full tear for the final diagnosis.<\/p>\n

Schneider says the #BlueJays<\/a> are \u201cholding onto\u201d hope he can pitch again this year, but will miss significant time regardless.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) March 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The Blue Jays lured Ponce, 31, back to North America from Korea with a three-year, $30 million contract in December.<\/p>\n

Ponce, a native of California, went 1-7 with a 5.86 ERA in 20 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2020-21. He spent the 2022-24 seasons in Japan, and 2025 in the KBO. Last year he posted a 1.89 ERA with 252 strikeouts over 180.2 innings for the Hanwha Eagles.<\/p>\n

MORE:\u00a0Blue Jays cut 24-year-old infielder immediately before Opening Day: report<\/a><\/p>\n

Ponce\u2019s 2026 debut had the potential to be one of the great comeback stories in baseball. For now, his much-anticipated return to the big leagues appears short-lived.<\/p>\n

In the third inning, Ponce chased a Jake McCarthy grounder to his left but pulled up lame. He couldn\u2019t walk off the field and was carted away.<\/p>\n

After the game, Schneider told reporters that Ponce had \u201cdiscomfort\u201d in his right knee, knowing the full extent of his injury could be considerably worse. <\/p>\n

\u201cI talked to him for a while last night, was up until like one in the morning,\u201d Schneider told reporters, including Mitch Bannon of The Athletic<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s got pretty good perspective. And I think he\u2019s frustrated, for sure, but I think he has pretty good perspective on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schneider on Ponce\u2019s reaction:<\/p>\n

\u201cI talked to him for a while last night, was up until like one in the morning. He’s got pretty good perspective. And I think he’s frustrated, for sure, but I think he has pretty good perspective on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) March 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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