Monday night proved to be a gut-wrenching Toronto Blue Jays debut for starting pitcher Cody Ponce.
After spending last season dominating in South Korea and the three prior seasons in Japan, Ponce earned his way back to Major League Baseball this offseason with the defending American League champions, who gave him a $30 million contract over the next three years.
But in the top of the third inning, Ponce lunged after a soft ground ball from Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy and immediately came up limping. Replays showed his right knee hyperextended in an uncomfortable direction, and he was carted off the field by Toronto medical personnel.
As of Tuesday morning, the Blue Jays had not provided an update on Ponce’s diagnosis. But with more definitive news possibly coming later in the afternoon, manager John Schneider’s words after Monday night’s loss were sobering.
“You feel for him,” Schneider said, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “The last couple of years and then getting back here (to the majors), and he was throwing the ball really well. Even on the field, McCarthy was pretty cool and was apologizing to him. In real time, Cody was talking back to him. I just told him to focus one minute at a time.
“There was a lot of emotion that goes into today, and he was really excited. It just sucks to see that happen to him. We’re wishing for the best.”
A roster move had not yet been announced as of Tuesday morning, but reporter Francys Romero tweeted on Monday night that minor-league right-hander Lázaro Estrada had been informed of his call-up by the Blue Jays, presumably to take Ponce’s spot on the roster.
Ponce’s situation is one any competitor could empathize with, but the sooner there’s a concrete diagnosis, the sooner the 31-year-old can start restoring some positive momentum in his quest to finally become a full-time big-leaguer.
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