"I didn't expect it to start like this. But the best stories always begin with a twist."
Cody Ponce, a pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, expressed his determination to rise again despite injury setbacks.
John Schneider said on the 8th (Korean time) before the home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, that Ponce would undergo surgery.
Schneider said, "Ponce is scheduled to have surgery next week, and rehabilitation will take about six months." It is effectively a season-ending injury.
Ponce has already consulted with Dr. Neil ElAttrache and ultimately decided to treat the injured area with surgery. The highly anticipated comeback season came to a halt in his first start.
Last year in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League, Ponce won MVP with a dominant performance for the Hanwha Eagles, posting a 17-1 record, a 1.89 earned run average and 252 strikeouts, ranking first in wins, ERA, strikeouts and winning percentage.
Ponce returned to the majors after signing a three-year, $30 million contract with Toronto (about 44.6 billion won) but, after a sudden injury, lost an entire season despite recording 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA in five spring training appearances (13 2/3 innings).
Ponce was the starting pitcher in the home game against the Colorado Rockies on the 31st of last month and was replaced due to injury after recording 2 1/3 innings, one hit, one walk, three strikeouts and one run allowed.
Major League Baseball's official website MLB.com reported that after Ponce was injured, "Cody Ponce left the game in a medical cart during his Blue Jays debut at Rogers Centre. His return to the major league mound for the first time since 2021 ended on a heartbreaking note."
But he is preparing to get back up rather than bowing his head. Ponce said on his social media, "I didn't expect it to start like this. But I really like this team and the camaraderie. I'm proud to be a member of Toronto, and I want to meet the fans at Rogers Centre again as soon as possible."
He added, "The best stories always begin with a twist," showing his determination to stage a comeback. The season is over, but the story is not finished yet. Interest is growing in when the "twist" Ponce mentioned will become a reality.
[OSEN]