Settled into everyday role, Clement still finding new gears

TORONTO -- Nothing about Ernie Clement’s game is loud and sudden. There’s a subtleness to it, better appreciated over months than days.

If you stand still and turn to look back at the mess of a season the Blue Jays have trudged through, Clement has quietly been one of this club’s true success stories. It doesn’t reach out and grab you by the collar of your shirt each night -- it sneaks up on you.

He’s a faster runner -- by a hair -- than Daulton Varsho, and a gifted multi-sport athlete. His defense is above average across the infield. Clement's offensive profile, while it won’t be confused with a star’s stat line, is one of the most unique in baseball. Only two players in MLB (min. 50 PA) have a strikeout rate under 10% and a walk rate under 5%: Clement and Luis Arraez of the Padres.

In back-to-back plate appearances on Wednesday night, Clement hit his ninth home run and took his ninth walk. Later, he doubled. Around all of this, the Blue Jays imploded, turning a 6-0 lead into an 11-7 loss. There’s nothing positive to take from a dreadful game against the Reds, but if the rest of this season is about better positioning the Blue Jays for 2025, that’s the lens we need to view most of this through.

“He’s turned into an everyday player for us for the first time in his career, and he’s handled it great,” manager John Schneider said. “I think he’s really showing everyone in the league that he’s a pretty damn good big league player.”

In March, we were talking about Clement competing for the 26th spot on the roster. Now, his name is written in ink. Clement has been searching for this stability, something that was elusive at times even as he climbed through the Minor Leagues.

“This helps a lot. I’ve been on both sides of it,” Clement said. “I’ve been on the side where you play once a week, but you still have to go in and do your job. You’ve still got to keep your foot on the gas, obviously. I can do a lot more out there now, I think. I can work the count. I can still be aggressive when I need to. I feel a lot more comfortable, defensively and offensively. It’s different for me, but I’m really enjoying it.”

Power has never been part of Clement’s identity, but this was his third homer in six games. Coming off a career-high 12 last year between Triple-A and the big leagues, he’s showing enough pop to round out his offense. Having such a high contact rate is a fine start, but that leaves Clement open to extreme swings in batted-ball luck unless he’s putting a little oomph behind the ball.

All of this points to Clement competing for a meaningful role in 2025. Even if the Blue Jays significantly change the shape of their roster, Clement should be able to bend himself around it.

“I finally think I’m turning the corner a little bit and I’m impacting the ball more,” Clement said. “I feel more comfortable at the plate. I’m just seeing it a little bit better, so I can get my ‘A’ swing off instead of just trying to hit the ball. My approach is a little more refined now and I can go up there with a plan.”

If the Blue Jays improve their lineup next year -- really improve it this time, not incrementally so -- that should simplify roles in the process.

The 2024 roster has been shuffled together with players like Clement, Davis Schneider, Leo Jiménez, Addison Barger and Spencer Horwitz playing multiple positions. The same went for Cavan Biggio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa when they were with the organization. Bo Bichette missing time has only added to the need for Toronto’s depth players to move around. If a legitimate bat or two are added to this lineup -- ones who play a regular position -- the constant shuffling should slow.

Clement can be the moving piece around all of that, especially if he drives the ball often enough to sharpen the edges of his offensive game. It’s a credit to Clement, who signed a Minor League deal with this organization in March 2023 after being cut by the A’s. It wasn’t exactly major news at the time, but here he is, every single night.

Some players need a chance. Clement, whose game is finally benefitting from a long and nightly look, is making the most of his.