The Blue Jays continue to load up on weapons this season.
Toronto is finalizing a deal to land right-handed pitcher Cody Ponce on a three-year deal worth $30 million, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Tuesday.
It marks a recording contract for a pitcher returning to the United States from South Korea. Athletics reports this.
The American League champions already added former Padres righty Dylan Cease to a $210 million contract last week, and bringing in Ponce should give the staff a boost.
The 31-year-old – a 2024 second-round pick of the Brewers – had a 5.86 ERA in the major leagues and hasn’t pitched in the United States since 2021, but he has turned his career around overseas in Japan and South Korea.
After three seasons in Japan, where he maintained a 4.54 ERA, Ponce really made a splash in 2025 with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization.
He posted a 2.04 ERA with a league-record 252 strikeouts over 180 2/3 innings. At the end of the year he won the league’s MVP.
It’s not yet clear how the Blue Jays plan to use Ponce, but after pitching in a mix of relief for the Pirates and Brewers earlier this decade, he pitched in 29 games in Korea as a full-time starter this past season. So he should at least be a rotation option.
The rest of Toronto’s rotation will likely include Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and Jose Berríos as they look to hold off the Yankees once again in the American League East.
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