The Toronto Blue Jays' pitching staff could be one of the best in Major League Baseball next season.
The addition of Dylan Cease and retaining Shane Bieber should help them remain competitive in the AL East and as postseason contenders.
Cody Ponce's three-year contract with the Blue Jays may turn out to be one of the more underrated moves of the offseason, as he was the Korea Baseball Organization's MVP in 2025. The former Pittsburgh Pirates reliever led the KBO in wins (17), ERA (1.89), and he set the league record for strikeouts in a season with 252.
Ponce is ready for a breakout season
He's already proven he can be an ace in South Korea, but Ponce will fulfill his role with the Blue Jays if he can pitch deep into games and attack hitters the way he did in the KBO.
Of course, Major League Baseball hitters are a few talent levels above those in the KBO. Regardless, MLB.com's Keegan Matheson believes Ponce can carry last year's success with him to Canada.
"This feels like an off-the-board pick, given that Ponce just signed a three-year, $30 million deal, but he’s a fascinating story, coming back to MLB after four years pitching in Japan and Korea. Last season, Ponce won the KBO’s MVP Award and absolutely dominated opposing hitters with 252 strikeouts over 180 2/3 innings," Matheson wrote.
"Last time we saw him in the big leagues, though, he was a fringe reliever with the Pirates who couldn’t stick. Ponce’s velocity has ticked up, and he seems to have unlocked something. So, at age 31, we could witness the late breakout Ponce has been working toward."
If Ponce can provide what Chris Bassitt did this past season, his contract could turn out to be a steal.
More Blue Jays news:
- Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette ‘probably not going to be in any sort of rush’ to take deal amid questions about position
- Bleacher Report questions if Blue Jays have enough money to sign Kyle Tucker after already spending a ton of money
- Blue Jays have reportedly been in contact with 10-year veteran who debuted with Red Sox
- Blue Jays predicted to spend $350 million on two All-Stars instead of signing Kyle Tucker to a massive deal
- Blue Jays general manager explains plan for Ricky Tiedemann after signing Dylan Cease to $210 million deal
- Blue Jays connected to move that would cut ties with Anthony Santander to help pay Kyle Tucker