"Oh, my God!' Ponce season out likely, an anterior cruciate ligament sprain → surgery will be examined... Unfortunately, the head coach said, "We had a meeting until 1 a.m...."

*This content was translated by AI.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Cody Ponce (32) is on the verge of being out of the season after suffering a shocking injury in his first major league return in five years. A detailed examination revealed that the knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was not ruptured, but that it was a sprain. Now, it is said to be checking for surgery.

According to U.S. sports media The Athletic and CBS Sports, Toronto coach John Schneider (46) said in an interview with local media on the 1st (Korea time) that Ponce was diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain in his right knee.

In the end, it is very likely to list the injured. Schneider added, "More medical staff will review the results of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to determine whether surgery is necessary." If he/she undergoes surgery, he/she is certain to be out of the season, and even if he/she avoids surgery, he/she is inevitable to be absent for a considerable period of time. The club maintains a faint hope that he can take the mound again within this year, but the final decision depends on the results of the detailed examination later. CBS Sports wrote, "The possibility of Ponce taking the mound again this season is slim."

Ponce started the 2026 MLB Colorado Rockies at Rogers Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on March 31, but was replaced after allowing one hit, one walk, three strikeouts and one run in two ⅓ innings. The number of pitches was 47, of which 30 were strikes.

The injury situation was very unfortunate. With one out and third base in the top of the third inning, Ponce tried to deal with Jake McCarty's grounder I bent my right knee. Ponce, who collapsed on the ground and complained of severe pain, later woke up on his own, but eventually left the stadium on a cart. Regarding Ponce's condition, the Toronto club said, "I complained of discomfort in my right knee." In the end, after going through MRI and other examination results, he announced a knee ligament sprain. There was also talk of hypertension, but he could not avoid knee ligament injury.

For Ponce, the injury comes more cruelly. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021 and took the mound as a starting pitcher in the Major League again after a long period of patience of five years. His overwhelming performance in the KBO League Hanwha Eagles in the 2025 season led him to return to the Major League again. However, the unexpected injury suffered from the first game blocked Ponce's path.

At the meeting, Schneider said he had a long conversation with Ponce shortly after his injury. "I talked to Ponce for quite a while until 1 a.m. last night," he said. "I'm obviously frustrated about the current situation, but at the same time, I have a strong mindset to look at the situation objectively."

Ponce's departure is also a big blow to Toronto's starting lineup management. Toronto is in a position to urgently search for alternative resources to fill the void of the veteran right-hander, who once again had a major league opportunity at the age of 32.

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*This content was translated by AI.