On the very day that the Toronto Blue Jays finalized their agreement with Dylan Cease, inking him to a seven-year contract worth $210 million, they moved to acquire another pitching option.
Cody Ponce, a right-handed pitcher seeking to re-enter MLB after a three-year stint in Asian baseball leagues, reached an agreement with Toronto on a three-year, $30 million contract on Tuesday, as reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN. Ponce was not included among Yahoo Sports’ list of the top 50 free agents, but he was recognized as a potentially intriguing player attempting a comeback.
Ponce, who previously played within the Pirates system, was released by Pittsburgh after the 2022 season. Up to that point, he had a career ERA of 5.86 in MLB. He then chose to attempt to revive his career internationally, initially playing in Japan for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and subsequently for the Rakuten Golden Eagles.
His initial experience in NPB was not particularly successful, with Ponce’s 4.54 ERA over three seasons being significantly below the league average in a league typically dominated by pitching. However, he experienced a resurgence in South Korea with the Hanwha Eagles.
With a record of 17-1, an ERA of 1.89, and 252 strikeouts in 180 2/3 innings, Ponce achieved the Triple Crown, was awarded the KBO MVP title, and guided Hanwha to the Korean Series, where they were defeated 4-1. During that single season, he re-established his value to MLB teams with a two-tick increase in his fastball velocity and the introduction of an effective splitter pitch.
Now, he is returning to MLB, with a substantial eight-figure contract to play for the reigning AL champions. However, the signing does bring up a question for the Jays.
How will the Toronto Blue Jays manage their pitching depth?
The Blue Jays now have both Cease and Ponce on their roster, at a combined annual cost of $40 million (before accounting for inflation on deferred payments). This represents a considerable investment, especially considering that the team seemed to only require one additional starting pitcher at the start of the offseason.
Besides Ponce and Cease, Toronto boasts a trio of seasoned veterans in Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and José Berríos, alongside the dynamic rookie Trey Yesavage, who made notable contributions during the team’s playoff journey. These six players are projected to earn approximately $100 million in 2026.
Unless the Blue Jays intend to implement a six-man rotation or are genuinely concerned about the potential for injury among their existing pitchers, another move, potentially in the form of a trade, might be on the horizon. Berríos would likely be the candidate for such a move, as he has three years and $68.1 million remaining on his contract.
Berríos recorded a 4.17 ERA in 166 innings pitched last season — a respectable performance — but was sidelined in September due to an elbow issue and did not participate in the postseason. This development is somewhat concerning for a 31-year-old pitcher, but with the signing of Ponce, it becomes a less pressing issue for Toronto as they head into 2026.
