Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Cody Ponce suffered a right ACL sprain during his MLB debut on Monday, forcing him to be carted off the field in the third inning of a 14-5 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Manager John Schneider confirmed the injury would sideline Ponce for "significant time," placing him on the 15-day injured list. The team recalled right-hander Lazaro Estrada from Triple-A Buffalo to fill the void.
Ponce, 31, had not pitched in MLB since 2021, spending the past three seasons in Japan and one in South Korea before signing a three-year, $30 million contract with the Blue Jays this offseason. In his debut, he pitched 2.1 innings, striking out three and allowing one run before the injury. The Blue Jays, who had swept the Athletics in their previous series, now face a rotation challenge with Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, and others also unavailable.
The injury occurred as Ponce lunged for a ground ball, causing his knee to buckle. He was visibly in distress and required assistance leaving the field. The team is awaiting further medical evaluations to determine the full extent of the injury and recovery timeline. Ponce's absence is a setback for Toronto's World Series aspirations, as he was expected to be a key part of their rotation alongside Dylan Cease, who signed a seven-year, $210 million deal this offseason.
The Blue Jays will look to rebound in the second game of the series against the Rockies, with Max Scherzer starting for Toronto.