Andrew WrightTue, December 2, 2025 at 11:58 PM UTC·1 min readReport: Blue Jays ink KBO MVP to three-year contract originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Just one month after falling short in Game 7 of the World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays are doing everything they can to make sure they get right back to the Fall Classic.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn the same day that Toronto made its signing of right-hander Dylan Cease official, it added a KBO MVP to its pitching staff.
According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the Blue Jays are in agreement with right-hander Cody Ponce on a three-year contract worth $30 million. Ponce is a former major leaguer that spent the 2025 season in the KBO with the Hanwha Eagles. We mentioned above that Ponce won the KBO MVP in 2025 and he did so with a dominant season.
Ponce made 29 starts, going 17-1 with a 1.69 ERA and 252 strikeouts across 180 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed just 10 home runs, 41 walks and gave up more than two runs in only six of his 29 starts. It was a much different result than Ponce's 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates when he pitched to a 5.86 ERA in 20 appearances.
Toronto has now acquired two ace-level starting pitchers in a matter of days. It is an all-out effort by Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins to make sure his team remains atop the American League.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe final step of what can already be considered a successful offseason would be to re-sign superstar shortstop Bo Bichette. If Atkins and Co. are able to do that, the Blue Jays will without question head into 2026 as the top dogs in the AL.
More MLB: Former Blue Jays All-Star Alek Manoah signs with Angels after brief Braves stint
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