Blue Jays Make Bold Rotation Move with Cody Ponce Signing
So, something pretty fascinating has just happened with the Toronto Blue Jays, and it’s one of those moves that makes you stop and say, “Okay… they’re really not playing around this offseason.” The team has reportedly agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with right-hander Cody Ponce — yes, the same Cody Ponce who once bounced between the Majors and Minors, then disappeared overseas, and suddenly came back as one of the most dominant pitchers in Korea.
Now, the Blue Jays haven’t officially confirmed the deal yet, but multiple reports say it’s happening. And honestly, it’s easy to see why they jumped on it. Ponce just wrapped up an absolutely ridiculous season with the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO. We’re talking a 17–1 record, a 1.89 ERA, and 252 strikeouts across 180-plus innings. That kind of strikeout total actually broke the KBO single-season record. At one point in May, he struck out eighteen hitters in one game. Eighteen. In a league known for contact hitting. It’s no wonder he was named league MVP.
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What makes this even more interesting is how unexpected this transformation was. Ponce spent three years pitching in Japan before heading to Korea, and none of that really hinted at a dramatic return to MLB. But everything clicked this past season. His fastball jumped into the mid-90s, touching 97 or 98 mph at times, which is a big jump from where he was during his Pirates days. And he added a splitter — a pitch the Blue Jays absolutely love — which gives them yet another guy who can throw a filthy one. Kevin Gausman is known for his. Dylan Cease throws one. Now Ponce joins that group.
Here’s the real twist: Toronto already had one of the deepest rotations in baseball, especially after signing Cease. Now they’ve added yet another legitimate starter. They can easily project six MLB-caliber starters: Cease, Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, José BerrÃos, and now Ponce. Plus a whole safety net of depth arms behind them. It’s not a problem — rotations never stay healthy all year — but it definitely gives the Jays options.
Ponce could be used as a traditional starter, a bulk guy, or even shifted around depending on how things shake out with BerrÃos, who has an opt-out looming after 2026 and just had his first IL stint last season. And looking ahead, Gausman and Bieber are set to hit free agency after 2026 as well. So the picture becomes much clearer: this isn’t just about stacking arms now — it’s about preparing for the next phase of the rotation, too.
The Jays were already the story of last postseason with their surprise World Series run. Now they’re shaping up to be the story of this offseason as well. And with bullpen upgrades and a big bat still on their to-do list, they’re not finished yet.
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