Toronto right-hander Cody Ponce was forced from his debut with the defending AL champion Blue Jays after injuring his right knee in the third inning against Colorado. Ponce slipped while fielding a ground ball, left the field on a cart, and was replaced by Louis Varland. The Rockies scored on the play to take a 1-0 lead.

Ponce, signed to a $30 million, three-year deal last December, allowed one run and one hit over 2 1//3 innings, striking out three and walking one. Thirty of his 47 pitches were strikes. The injury casts immediate doubt on his availability for the season opener.

Ponce's impressive 2025 season in South Korea, where he won MVP and the pitching triple crown with a 17-1 record and 1.89 ERA, contrasts sharply with his 2020-21 struggles in Pittsburgh, where he posted a 5.86 ERA in limited action. His absence is a significant blow for a rotation already lacking depth.