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Earlier today, we wrote about how the Blue Jays still needed help on the mound. Cody Ponce's name even came up.
And now it's done: the starting pitcher has signed a three-year contract worth a total of $30 million.
Free-agent right-hander Cody Ponce is finalizing a three-year agreement with the Blue Jays, sources tell @TheAthletic.
– Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 2, 2025
Ponce left MLB a few years ago (2021 was his last year) to go to Asia. And in 2025, he was Korea's league MVP, maintaining a 17-1 record and 1.89 ERA.
He also retired 252 players on strikes in 180.2 innings of work, thanks to his revised velocity over the years. We're feeling a trend with the Blue Jays, aren't we? #K
Right-hander Cody Ponce and the Toronto Blue Jays are finalizing a three-year, $30 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. The AL champs get the KBO MVP, who went 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA and struck out 252 in 180.2 innings. First on the agreement was @Ken_Rosenthal.
– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 2, 2025
With Dylan Cease, that makes two starting pitchers coming to town. Will Ponce be used as a starter? As a reliever? History doesn't tell.
But it's still two pitchers who'll be looking for outs on strikes a lot.
The Blue Jays have signed 2 starters this winter (though maybe they envision Cody Ponce in a hybrid role) and it appears finding arms with swing-and-miss stuff is a priority
Cease: 11.5 K/9
Ponce: 12.6 K/9 https://t.co/75N8K5EuAp– Brandon Wile (@Brandon_N_Wile) December 2, 2025
This means that Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt have been replaced by Cease and Ponce. They join Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios, Eric Lauer, Bowden Francis, Adam Macko, Jake Bloss, Ricky Tiedemann and company in the club's hierarchy of potential starting pitchers.
Who will be in the rotation? We'll see in due course… but Gausman, Cease, Yesavage and Bieber should be there.
Now more than ever, we have to wonder if the rumors involving Jose Berrios will lead to anything. It wouldn't necessarily be surprising to see him pitching elsewhere in 2026, even if his market value can't be incredible as we speak.
In the long term, Ponce, Yesavage and Cease will be in Toronto for at least three years. This gives a little more certainty to the directors, who must realize that it's easier to attract guys to town when the club has won games en masse in recent months.
This content was created with the help of AI.
