The tragedy of KBO MVP who also paid attention to 'shocking day' → How on earth is it a 'seasonout crisis' after 'only one game' of returning dreams

*This content was translated by AI.

Cody Ponce (32, Toronto Blue Jays), a former KBO MVP who returned to the Major League Baseball (MLB) stage after overcoming the KBO League last season. It must be a tragedy indeed. This is because he was on the verge of being out of the season with a fatal knee injury in his first game back. Japan, a 'neighbor country', also reported and noted Ponce's rise.

Ponce started the 2026 MLB Colorado Rockies at Rogers Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on the 31st (Korea Standard Time). It was the first big league mound in five years since 2021.

Personally, the comeback match must have been very exciting. However, Ponce did not spend a long time on the mound. The situation is on third base with one out in the top of the third inning. Ponce twisted his step and injured his right knee while rushing to handle Jake McCarthy's grounder himself.

Ponce immediately fell to the ground complaining of excruciating pain. Eventually, he couldn't walk on his own and left the field on a cart. His final performance on the day was one hit in two ⅓ innings, three strikeouts, and one run.

And the next day, the 1st. According to foreign media such as MLB.COM on the official Major League website and ESPN, Ponce was found to have sprained an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The club immediately put Ponce on the injured list (IL). In place of Ponce, Lazaro Estrada, who was playing in the minor leagues, joined.

Currently, it is reported that Ponce's MRI images are being closely examined again to determine the extent of damage to the ligament. However, depending on the results, there is even a story that in the worst case, you may be on the operating table. Even if you avoid surgery, it doesn't seem easy to get back on the mound for quite a long time.

Toronto head coach John Schneider said, "There is only a very slim chance of returning this year," adding, "More medical staff will review the results of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to decide whether to operate or not. I talked to him until 1 a.m. I'm definitely frustrated with the current situation, but I'm still determined to look at the situation objectively," he said.

Japan also seems to be paying attention to the news of Ponce's injury. Japanese media Nikkan Sports said, "Ponse's long-term departure has become inevitable. Ponce, who once played for the Nippon Ham Fighters and Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Japanese professional baseball (NPB), joined Toronto after the end of last season, he said. "Coach Schneider told the story that it takes a considerable amount of time to return due to this injury."

Another Japanese media outlet, Baseball King, also said, "Ponce was injured in his return to the Major League for the first time in five years, and he was eventually put on the injured list. He joined the opening rotation as the fourth starter, but suffered a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee during the batting process in the third inning. Due to Ponce's injury, Toronto has five pitchers on the injured list so far.

Ponce began his professional career in the 2015 MLB Draft with a pick by the Milwaukee Brewers. Making his big league debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2020, he pitched in 20 games (five starts) and played 55 ⅓ innings in two seasons until the 2021 season, marking 1-7 with 48 strikeouts and a 5.86 ERA.

Ponce then left for Japan. For three seasons from the 2022 to 2024 season, I experienced Asian baseball through the Nippon Ham Fighters and Rakuten Golden Eagles. And ahead of the 2025 season, Ponce signed a relationship with Hanwha. He entered Daejeon with a total of $1 million, including a down payment of $200,000 and an annual salary of $800,000.

And he dominated the KBO league. He started 29 games in the 2025 season and marked 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA. While playing a total of 180 ⅔ innings, he achieved a detailed performance of 128 hits (10 home runs), 41 walks, 252 strikeouts, 41 runs (38 earned runs) per inning (WHIP) of 0.94 and a 0.199 hit rate. He pitched 20 times in quality start (less than three earned runs in six innings as a starter). He topped all four categories including multiple wins, ERA, strikeout and winning percentage (0.944). In the end, based on this strong performance, Ponce returned to the United States by signing a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on a three-year total of $30 million. Unfortunately, however, he suffered an unexpected injury and had to promise the following.

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*This content was translated by AI.