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Instant Reaction: Ernie Clement finishes a home run shy of cycle in Blue Jays’ tie with Tigers
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Photo credit: © Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Feb 25, 2026, 16:15 ESTUpdated: Feb 25, 2026, 16:47 EST
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The Toronto Blue Jays snapped their losing streak, but their winless streak continues.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Blue Jays headed east to face the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland, Florida, tying the game 4-4. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.
In the first, second, and third inning, the Blue Jays threatened with a runner in scoring position, but were unable to get a run across. That changed in the top of the fourth, as Kazuma Okamoto hit a lead-off double off Will Vest. Eloy Jiménez’s single put runners on the corner, and Nathan Lukes drove in Okamoto with an RBI single. After a pitching change and a couple of outs, Ernie Clement hit a single to drive in two more runs, giving the Jays a 3-0 lead.
Heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Blue Jays had given up just one hit in the game, a single in the bottom of the fifth. Pat Gallagher got the first batter he faced, but Riley Greene walked, Josue Briceño hit a single, and Corey Julks drove in the Tigers’ first run of the game with a single. Gallagher got the following batter to ground out, but after a pitching change, Jack Cushing gave up a three-run home run on the second pitch he threw to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead.
Thankfully, the Jays were able to avoid the outright loss in the bottom of the ninth. Riley Tirotta reached due to a fielding error, then Leo Jiménez hit a deep single off the wall, moving Tirotta to third but being thrown out at second in the process. The Tigers made their second error of the inning off the bat of Arjun Nimmala, allowing Tirotta to come home to tie the game. Unfortunately, they were unable to get Nimmala across home plate, and a scoreless bottom of the ninth gave the two teams a tie.

Takeaways…

This was the first game of Spring Training that wasn’t televised, a bit of a shame really, as Cody Ponce made the start. In his inning of work, he struck out two batters, threw 22 pitches (16 strikes), and topped out at 96 mph with the heater. Overall, he generated three whiffs, none with the heater and two with his kick-changeup.
Ernie Clement picked up right where he left off, finishing the game with three hits in three plate appearances. In fact, he was just a home run shy of a cycle. Last postseason, Clement set the record for more hits in a single playoff run, so the 2026 season could be a big one for him.
Eloy Jiménez is quickly putting his name in the hat to make the roster out of Spring Training. He had two hits in three plate appearances in this, a single and a double. The single had an exit velocity of 111.1 mph, the double had an exit velocity of 109.4 mph, the two hardest hit balls of the game. 
Well, the double was tied with Alejandro Kirk’s 104.9 mph exit velocity on a line out. On top of that lineout, Kirk had the fifth-hardest hit ball, clocking in with an exit velocity of 108.8. He hasn’t hit particularly well so far this Spring Training, but he is hitting it hard.
The two standout performances out of the bullpen were Tommy Nance and Javen Coleman. Nance, who is out of option years and needs to make the team, struck out two and gave up a walk. Coleman gave up a hit to break up the combined no-hitter, but struck out two with a walk. Coleman has some helium heading into 2026, and could reach the upper minors at some point this season.
On Thursday, the Blue Jays return home to Dunedin to host the Miami Marlins at 1:07 PM ET, with Kevin Gausman set to start.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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