After a short and unsuccessful stint in the major leagues, Cody Ponce was pitching in Asia and still trying to find a mental approach that worked for him on the mound. So he started emulating his brother-in-law, NFL star George Kittle. That led to a huge turnaround for Ponce and a $30 million, three-year contract with the AL champion Toronto Blue Jays this offseason. Ponce says watching Kittle, the spirited San Francisco 49ers tight end, play football helped him bring out his “inner child again.” A journeyman career changed dramatically in 2025 as Ponce went 17-1 over 29 starts with the Hanwha Eagles in South Korea. He had 252 strikeouts and a 1.89 ERA, helping him win the MVP award in the KBO.