Oh no! Unfortunately, Ponce moved 60 days of IL to 'finish' → long-term absence is virtually confirmed... "Eventually" surgery

*This content was translated by AI.

Right-hander Cody Ponce (32, Toronto Blue Jays), a former KBO League MVP who dominated Korean baseball and returned to the Major League as a member of the Hanwha Eagles, is on the verge of ending the season early. The Toronto club virtually confirmed its long-term absence by moving Ponce to the 60-day injured list (IL).

The Toronto club announced the roster move on its official channel on the 6th (Korea Standard Time) and announced that Ponce, who suffered a right knee injury, has been changed from IL on the 15th to IL on the 60th. He left Ponce's position in the process of calling up right-hander Austin Boss (34) and optioning Lazaro Estrada (27) to Triple-A Buffalo Bisons under his wing to fill the starting rotation gap.

Ponce, who suffered a broken knee during defense against the Colorado Rockies on March 31, was initially diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain. However, the fact that he moved to the 60-day IL in less than a week suggests that his condition is much worse than expected after close examination. Soon, Ponce will fly to Los Angeles to see Dr. Neal ElAttrache, a ligament specialist. It is said that data on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) have already been sent to Dr. Annatrache. It is expected that an official announcement on whether or not to operate will be made soon.

Toronto coach John Schneider's "check whether it is ruptured" and "the possibility of surgery" are becoming a reality. The 60-day IL move means that he will not be able to join the active roster for at least two months, and if he gets on the operating table, Ponce's 2026 season, which returned under a three-year, $30 million (about 45.3 billion won), is likely to end as it is.

The news of Ponce's injury is also a huge shock to the family. In particular, George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers), his brother-in-law and NFL star who visited the stadium on this day, is also in rehabilitation due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, adding to the regret.

Manager Schneider said, "Ponce is trying to maintain his composure by relying on Kittle, who is rehabilitating in the same situation," but it seems hard to hide his regret that his hard-won opportunity to return to the big league through KBO and NPB was defeated by injury.

Toronto's power vacuum deepened as not only Ponce but also outfielder Anthony Santander (32) moved to the 60-day IL at the same time. On the previous day (5th), even the main catcher Alejandro Kirk (28) was confirmed to leave for the time being due to a broken finger. On top of that, with key starters such as Shane Bieber and Jose Berrios injured, Ponce also left for a long time, and Toronto was forced to mobilize all Triple-A resources to "stand."

Attention is focusing on the final detailed examination results to be announced soon whether Ponce, who is also familiar to Hanwha Eagles fans, will be able to miraculously return within this season after avoiding surgery and rehabilitating or end the season as it is.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.