The Toronto Blue Jays aren’t waiting around this offseason-they’re making moves, and big ones. Fresh off locking down Dylan Cease with a seven-year, $210 million deal, the reigning American League champs have doubled down on their rotation by adding another intriguing arm to the mix. This time, it’s Cody Ponce, fresh off a dominant year overseas, and now headed back to the big leagues with a three-year, $30 million contract.
Ponce might not be a household name in MLB circles-at least not yet-but his 2025 campaign in the KBO with the Hanwha Eagles was nothing short of electric. The 31-year-old right-hander didn’t just win games; he overwhelmed hitters.
A 17-1 record, a 1.89 ERA, and a staggering 252 strikeouts over 180.2 innings? That’s video game stuff.
He capped it off by taking home league MVP honors and even set a KBO record with 18 strikeouts in a single nine-inning game back in May.
This isn’t just a feel-good comeback story. It’s a calculated move by the Blue Jays to build one of the most formidable rotations in baseball. With Cease and Ponce now in the fold, Toronto is sending a clear message: they’re not content with just winning the AL-they want more.
Ponce’s journey has been anything but conventional. Drafted in the second round by the Brewers back in 2015, he made his MLB debut with the Pirates in 2020 but never found his footing in the majors.
After two underwhelming seasons, he took his talents to Japan, pitching in the NPB before heading to Korea. That international experience seems to have unlocked something, and now he returns to MLB with a new level of confidence and command.
Meanwhile, the Houston Astros are also looking to retool after a rare postseason miss-their first since 2016. General manager Dana Brown has made it clear that bolstering the rotation is a priority, and on Monday night, the Astros made a move of their own, signing right-hander Ryan Weiss to a one-year, $2.7 million deal.
It’s a classic Astros play: low-risk, high-upside, and potentially more if things click. The deal includes a club option that could push the total value north of $7 million if exercised.
Weiss, like Ponce, spent the last two seasons dominating in the KBO with the Hanwha Eagles. Over 270.2 innings, he posted a 3.16 ERA and struck out 305 batters.
He never cracked the majors during his time with the Diamondbacks and Royals, but his time overseas has clearly raised his stock. Now, he gets a real shot to carve out a role in a Houston rotation that’s looking for answers.
It’s worth noting that both Ponce and Weiss were teammates in Korea, and now they’re both heading back stateside within hours of each other. Whether that’s coincidence or a sign of MLB teams paying closer attention to the KBO pipeline, it’s clear the talent overseas is being taken seriously.
Elsewhere on the free agent front, the bullpen market is heating up. Raisel Iglesias and Phil Maton were among the first dominoes to fall, followed by multi-year deals for Ryan Helsley and Devin Williams. Now, all eyes are on Pete Fairbanks.
According to MLB Network’s J.P. Morosi, both the Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins are in the mix for the 31-year-old right-hander.
Fairbanks is coming off the best season of his career, posting a 2.83 ERA over 60.1 innings and notching a career-high 27 saves. The Rays declined his $11 million option, making him one of the most attractive bullpen arms left on the market.
Fairbanks has been a staple in Tampa Bay’s bullpen since coming over from the Rangers in 2019, and his power stuff and late-inning experience make him a prime target for teams looking to shore up the back end of their bullpen. With the Marlins and Tigers both looking to take the next step, a proven closer like Fairbanks could be a difference-maker.
The offseason is just getting started, but if these early moves are any indication, we’re in for a wild winter. Between Toronto’s aggressive push, Houston’s smart gambles, and the bullpen market heating up, the landscape is shifting fast-and teams aren’t waiting around to make their moves.