Not a blockbuster signing. Not a sought-after talent from the draft. And certainly not a name the Toronto Blue Jays had planned around. Yet, entering the 2026 season, Ernie Clement is in a very different position: a player the team has implicitly considered a daily option.
This story isn’t flashy. But it’s precisely that quietness that draws attention.
Clement was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in the fourth round of 2017, with a rather lackluster offensive record. Before joining the Blue Jays, he had only 11 home runs in over 1,600 plate appearances. When Toronto signed Clement on a minor league contract, almost no one considered it a long-term decision. In fact, it was said that the Blue Jays were the only team promising him consistent playing time.
Looking back now, that statement sounds almost… unbelievable.
Things started to change in Buffalo in 2023. In under 300 plate appearances, Clement had equaled his entire career home run total. It wasn’t a spectacular explosion, but it was the first sign that he wasn’t just a versatile player. When called up to the first team in September, Clement added another home run, as if to confirm that his progress wasn’t accidental.
The real turning point came before the 2024 season, when the Blue Jays had to choose between Santiago Espinal and Clement. It was a pivotal moment—and Toronto made the right choice. Despite a disappointing 74–88 season, Clement quietly played his part. A slash line .263/.284/.408, 12 home runs, and a Gold Glove nomination at third base in his first full MLB season.
No superstar. No record-breaking. But enough to secure a place.
The 2025 season continued at the same pace. The numbers weren’t overwhelming: .277/.313/.398, nine home runs, 98 wRC+. But Clement’s defense remained outstanding, making him a finalist for both Gold Glove utility and third base. A “stable,” “reliable,” “versatile” player—words that don’t usually come with the spotlight.
Until the postseason.
In 18 playoff games, Clement played like a completely different person. Slash line .411/.416/.562. 171 wRC+. Thirty hits—an all-time postseason record. He not only contributed, he became the center of crucial moments. A performance that could change how an organization views its own player.
Of course, no one expected Clement to maintain that form throughout the regular season. Forecasts like Steamer put him at average: wRC+ 100, nine home runs. But the issue wasn’t projection anymore. It was belief.
With Okamoto’s arrival and Bo Bichette’s departure, Clement almost automatically had a bigger role. He could move all over the court, but second base seemed to be waiting—not as a test, but as a default.
The point is: there were no big statements from the team. No promises. No media campaign. Ernie Clement was simply there—and the Blue Jays seemed accustomed to seeing him in the lineup every day.
The remaining question wasn’t whether Clement deserved it. Rather, after a postseason that exploded to the point of changing history, would he truly be recognized as a cornerstone—or would it remain a fairy tale that Toronto wasn’t ready to name?
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