'Former Hanwha' Pitcher Cody Ponce Surprises Fans with Mound Pitching Video After Knee Surgery: "It's Been 5 Months"

*This content was translated by AI.

Cody Ponce (32), a right-handed pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays who underwent surgery after suffering an unexpected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his knee, has surprisingly revealed footage of himself throwing from the mound just five months post-surgery. This marks a meaningful first step toward his return to the mound after a long and arduous rehabilitation journey.

On the 27th (Korean time), Ponce uploaded a video of his pitching training to his social media account. The location is believed to be an indoor training facility at the Toronto Blue Jays' spring camp and player development complex in Dunedin, Florida, USA.

Along with the video, Ponce added a brief phrase in Spanish: "Cinco Meses" (5 months). This directly announced that approximately five months after his knee surgery last April, he has moved beyond flat-ground catch drills and begun pitching training using the mound's incline.

In the released video, Ponce is seen stepping on the official mound dirt and pitcher's plate inside the indoor training facility, performing a windup before powerfully delivering the ball. While this appears to be a mound pitching session focused on checking lower-body weight transfer and pitching mechanics rather than a full bullpen session with batters, his stable balance and light, agile pitching form—hinting at rapid recovery of his surgically treated right knee—captured attention.

Ponce, who had established himself as a top-tier starting pitcher after playing for the KBO League's Hanwha Eagles in Korea and in Japan's NPB, made a glamorous return to Major League Baseball last January by signing a three-year, $30 million (approximately 44 billion won) contract with Toronto. This marked his first return since the 2021 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

However, the wings of his comeback were abruptly halted by an extremely harsh tragedy. Just two months after his return, on March 31, during a home game against the Colorado Rockies at Toronto's Rogers Centre, Ponce suffered a severe injury when his right knee was violently twisted while playing defense in the third inning.

Detailed examinations confirmed a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. Under the care of Neil ElRa Teu-ra-che (Dr.), widely regarded as the world's leading authority on sports ligaments, Ponce underwent ACL reconstruction surgery. At the time, Toronto manager John Schneider stated in a local interview: "We want to hold onto even the 1st% chance of a miracle, but realistically, Ponce will likely prepare for a return aligned with the 2027 spring camp," effectively confirming his absence from the 2026 season.

While the team had cautiously set Ponce's return timeline for the 2027 season to ensure complete recovery and rebuilding of his pitching mechanics, his rehabilitation clock is moving faster than expected. Since immediately after surgery, Ponce has diligently completed a high-intensity home rehabilitation routine three times daily. With the devoted support of his wife, Emma Ponce, he finished initial rehab in California before relocating to Dunedin, Florida, where Toronto's spring camp facilities are located, shedding heavy sweat through rigorous training.

News of Ponce throwing from the mound just five months after surgery has sparked enthusiastic reactions from teammates and baseball fans alike. Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left supportive emoji comments, while Korean fans who remember his performances during his Hanwha days flooded the comments with encouraging messages such as "Ponce, you can do it," "Let's cheer for Ponce we miss," and "Fighting," collectively rallying behind the revival of the 'monster pitcher' returning to the mound.

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*This content was translated by AI.