Right-hander Cody Ponce carted off field in Toronto Blue Jays debut

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Cody Ponce’s long-awaited return to the majors took a frightening turn Monday night.

Making his first MLB start since 2021, Ponce was forced to leave the game in the third inning after suffering a serious leg injury during the Blue Jays’ matchup against the Colorado Rockies at Rogers Centre.

The trouble began earlier in the inning when Ponce’s heel appeared to catch in the dirt as he delivered a pitch.

The awkward motion sent him tumbling down the mound as he released the ball toward home plate in an attempt to avoid a balk.

Although he remained in the game after that incident, the situation worsened moments later.

While charging toward first base to field a slow ground ball off the bat of Jake McCarthy, Ponce injured his right leg and collapsed in visible pain.

Medical staff quickly rushed to his aid, and he was ultimately carted off the field.

His outing ended after 2.1 innings, in which he allowed one run on one hit and one walk while striking out three.

Monday marked Ponce’s first appearance in the majors since a stint overseas that included time in Japan and the KBO.

He had earned a spot in Toronto’s rotation amid injuries to Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, and José Berríos, all of whom began the season on the 15-day injured list.

The Blue Jays are expected to provide an update on Ponce’s condition after further evaluation.

What was meant to be a fresh start instead ended abruptly, cutting short both his team debut and his return to a major league mound.

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