Seoul: With strong support from his teammates and coaches, Hanwha Eagles pitcher Cody Ponce is thriving in his first Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season, enjoying an unbeaten start and helping his team rise to the top of the league standings.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ponce expressed his gratitude for the support he has received from the organization, which he credits for his successful start. In his first eight starts, Ponce has gone undefeated, earning the Player of the Month award for March and April. During this period, he achieved a record of 5-0 with a 1.96 ERA and struck out a league-high 61 batters in 46 innings. The Eagles won six out of Ponce’s seven starts in those months.
Ponce, who previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, shared his appreciation for the camaraderie and support within the Eagles team. He highlighted the positive atmosphere and teamwork as key factors in his performance. “I don’t think I can express how much honor and g
ratitude I have towards everybody in this organization who’s been there since Day 1,” Ponce said.
Reflecting on his time in Japan, Ponce described it as “unfortunate,” noting the challenges he faced there despite having great teams and coaches. Moving to South Korea, he aimed to savor every moment on the field, embracing the opportunity to play in front of enthusiastic fans. “Just remembering that I get to step on that mound once every five days and I get to go do this for a living,” he said.
Ponce is part of a dominant Eagles starting rotation, alongside former major league ERA king Ryu Hyun-jin, second-year American pitcher Ryan Weiss, and 2023 KBO Rookie of the Year Moon Dong-ju. The rotation leads the league in wins and strikeouts, with the fewest walks and lowest opponents’ on-base plus slugging percentage.
The Eagles have experienced a remarkable turnaround, climbing from last place to first in the 10-team league, aided by a nine-game winning streak. Ponce acknowledged the importance of maintaining a
n even keel throughout the season, noting that challenges will inevitably arise. His focus remains on staying healthy and giving the team the best chance to succeed.
“Winning (the award) is great but it’s the beginning of the year and it’s one month down out of six,” Ponce said. “My main goal is just to stay healthy to be able to step on that mound every five or six days, whatever it may be, and compete and give us the best chance I can to win a game to take us into the playoffs and hopefully win the Korean Series.”