Blue Jays Pitcher Cody Ponce Carted Off After Knee Injury in First MLB Start Since 2021

Ponce was making his first MLB appearance since 2021 after a dominant run in South Korea.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 12:48am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in muted tones shows the distorted motion of a baseball pitcher, conveying the sudden disruption and uncertainty of an unexpected injury.A fractured, cubist depiction of a pitcher's injury captures the chaotic moment of an unexpected setback on the field.Today in Pittsburgh

Cody Ponce, a pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, had to be carted off the field on Monday during his first Major League Baseball start since 2021. Ponce was injured while fielding a ground ball in the third inning of the game against the Colorado Rockies, with his right leg buckling awkwardly as he tried to pick up the ball. The Blue Jays said Ponce was removed from the game with "right knee discomfort," and the specifics of his injury are not yet known.

Why it matters

Ponce had signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Blue Jays this past offseason after a dominant run in the Korean Baseball Organization, where he won MVP honors and led his team to the Korean Series. His injury is a significant setback for the Blue Jays, who entered the game with a 3-0 record after sweeping the Athletics in their first series of the season.

The details

In the third inning, Ponce tried to field a short ground ball hit by Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy. As Ponce started to field the ball, his right leg buckled awkwardly and he fell down in the infield dirt. Ponce remained down for some time as the team's medical staff tended to him, and he was eventually carted off the field and did not return to the game.

  • Ponce's injury occurred in the third inning of Monday's game against the Rockies.
  • Ponce last appeared in an MLB game in 2021 when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The players

Cody Ponce

A pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays who was making his first MLB appearance since 2021 after a dominant run in the Korean Baseball Organization, where he won MVP honors and led his team to the Korean Series.

Jake McCarthy

An outfielder for the Colorado Rockies who hit the ground ball that led to Ponce's injury.

Toronto Blue Jays

The MLB team that Cody Ponce signed a three-year, $30 million deal with this past offseason.

Colorado Rockies

The MLB team that was playing against the Blue Jays when Ponce was injured.

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What’s next

The Blue Jays will provide an update on the severity of Ponce's injury in the coming days.

The takeaway

Ponce's injury is a significant setback for the Blue Jays, who were hoping he could build on his dominant performance in South Korea. The team will now have to wait and see the extent of the injury and how long Ponce may be sidelined.