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Blue Jays predicted to trade for $56M Cy Young winner to replace injured Cody Ponce amid slow start
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- Blue Jays predicted to trade for $56M Cy Young winner to replace injured Cody Ponce amid slow start
Blue Jays predicted to trade for $56M Cy Young winner to replace injured Cody Ponce amid slow start originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Toronto Blue Jays entered the 2026 season with high hopes of returning to the World Series. However, early injuries to key parts of their roster appear to be putting those plans on hold.
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"The season is just two weeks old and Toronto's injured list is already perilously long. It includes five starting pitchers ( Bowden Francis , Cody Ponce , Jose Berrios , Trey Yesavage and Shane Bieber ), three every-day players ( Anthony Santander , Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barge," ESPN wrote.
The biggest priority for Toronto is to get healthy and build momentum over the next few weeks. Injured starter Cody Ponce is expected to miss the entire season with a knee injury, dealing a major blow to the pitching rotation.
"Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters, including Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet, that right-hander Cody Ponce will have surgery to address the sprained anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The estimated return to play timeline is six months, so it's highly likely his season is over," MLB Trade Rumors' Darragh McDonald wrote.
The Blue Jays will likely be active buyers at the trade deadline and could target Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins .
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"Alcántara has been at the subject of trade rumors for years. Miami held onto him rather than flipping him for pennies on the dollar. It looks like the right call. Alcántara missed the 2024 season and then was a bit rusty in 2025. Now, he's fully back. Alcántara has made three starts and has a 0.74 ERA in a league-leading 24 1/3 innings pitched to go along with an 18-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In three starts this season, he has pitched seven innings, nine innings and 8 1/3 innings. He's on a bit of an insane run and looks like the guy who won the Cy Young Award in 2022," SI's Patrick McAvoy wrote.
Toronto is undeniably a talented team, but it is already dealing with significant injury concerns. If those issues persist, the Blue Jays could find themselves in a situation similar to the Atlanta Braves in 2025.
Alcantara is on a $56 million deal with the Marlins , making him a relatively manageable addition financially. He has already thrown a complete game this season and appears to be back in Cy Young form.
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