Toronto Blue Jays sign Korean league MVP to $30-million contract

The Toronto Blue Jays have added yet another starting pitcher to their already impressive rotation.

According to several baseball insiders, the Blue Jays have signed right-handed pitcher Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million deal, pending a physical.

Ponce hasn't pitched in North America since he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 2021.

After a rough go in MLB, Ponce headed spent three seasons pitching in the NPB in Japan, before moving on to South Korea's KBO. That turned out to be a great career decision, as he was named the league's MVP after registering a dazzling 1.89 ERA through 29 starts.

Though Ponce's brief time as an MLB pitcher wasn't pretty, he has improved drastically in the years since. As per Mitch Bannon of The Athletic, his velocity has increased by roughly 2 mph over the past few seasons.

Cody Ponce is not the same pitcherthat posted a 7.04 ERA with the Pirates in 2021. His velocity jumped 2 mph in the KBO the last few years, winning the league's top pitcher award in 2025.#BlueJays adding to the rotation in the short and long-term early this winter. https://t.co/SgTmct8Mwa

— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) December 2, 2025

It will be interesting to see what the Blue Jays do with Ponce this upcoming season, as they already have five other capable starting pitchers in Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, and Jose Berrios. What the move does do is give the Jays a starting option in 2027 and beyond, as Gausman and Bieber are set to be free agents after 2026, while Berrios has an opt-out clause.