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Ernie Clement’s 2026 season was a tale of two halves
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Photo credit: © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Cynthia Ryley Delaney
Oct 23, 2026, 13:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 23, 2026, 12:25 EDT
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It was a tale of two halves for Toronto Blue Jays’ second baseman Ernie Clement.
After setting the all-time record for most postseason hits in 2025, Clement picked up where he left off in the first half of the season, only to struggle down the stretch. What resulted was the worst of his three full seasons in the big leagues.
We’ve seen that at his best, the utility infielder is capable of hitting everything no matter where the pitch is thrown. But at his worst, Clement is essentially an automatic out in the lineup. Let’s take a look at his 2026.

How Ernie Clement’s season went

Clement was one of the Blue Jays’ best hitters last postseason. Over 18 games, the utility infielder slashed .411/.416/.562 with a home run and 30 knocks, an all-time record in Major League Baseball’s postseason.
While he was an around average hitter during the 2025 regular season, Clement more than made up for it with strong defence across three infield positions. At third base, his most commonly played position in 2025, he posted 11 Defensive Runs Saved, 6 Outs Above Average, and 4 Fielding Run Value. At second base, he had 10 DRS, 5 OAA, and 4 FRV, while posting 0 DRS, 2 OAA, and 1 FRV at shortstop.
Overall, 2025 was a pretty great season for Clement.
Had the 2026 season stopped at the 2026 All-Star Game, it would’ve been an even better season for Clement, at least with the bat. From the beginning of the season until July 12th, Clement slashed .296/.318/.433 with eight home runs in 374 plate appearances, good for a 109 wRC+.
Only five players, former Blue Jay Otto López, Luis Arráez, Yandy Díaz, Yordan Álvarez, and Xavier Edwards had more hits than Clement’s 106 heading into the All-Star break. At that point in the season, Clement hit 23 doubles, tied for fourth with a handful of players such as Freddie Freeman and Nico Hoerner. Only López, Rafael Devers, and Matt Olson hit more doubles at this point of the season.
Clement, deservedly, earned a trip to his first ever All-Star game. The only American League second baseman who had a higher wRC+ than Clement’s 109 was Minnesota Twins’ Kody Clemens, and he split his time between the keystone, first base, and both corner outfields in 2026.
Unfortunately for Clement and the Blue Jays, his post-All-Star Game numbers were some of the worst for any qualified hitter. In 247 plate appearances following the All-Star Game, Clement slashed just .203/.235/.259 with one home run in 247 plate appearances. His 36 wRC+ ranked second-lowest in Major League Baseball.
What makes this even worse is that his strikeout and walk rate remained essentially the same. That means that team’s adjusted to his aggressive approach, getting him to roll over on pitches for quick outs.
His second-half performance is made even worse considering he struggled defensively. In both 2024 and 2025, Clement was nominated (and should’ve won) Gold Gloves. In 981.2 innings at second base, his primary position, Clement finished with -2 DRS, -3 OAA, and -1 FRV. He struggled at shortstop as well, posting 0 DRS, -3 OAA, and -3 FRV in 257 innings at the position, but had 3 DRS, 1 OAA, and 0 FRV in 88.2 innings at the hot corner.
Clement has always been a league-average hitter with the Blue Jays, but the second half of his 2026 season isn’t encouraging, especially since he’s projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make over $7 million in arbitration.
So what about the cause for the decline? To me, it’s pretty obvious he was suffering from fatigue. On top of playing 157 of 162 regular season games in 2025, he appeared in 18 playoff games, a handful of Spring Training games, and even attended the World Baseball Classic. In 2026, he appeared in all but four games, playing in 93 of 96 games by the All-Star break. His All-Star break wasn’t even a break.
Clement still has a place on the 2027 Blue Jays, though his arbitration projection is a bit concerning for his spot moving forward. If he remains a Blue Jay next season, he’s better suited as a utility or platoon role, while the Blue Jays search for an everyday second baseman like Jazz Chisholm Jr. or Brandon Lowe.
Cynthia Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, DFOEdmonton, and DFOCalgary. She can be followed on Twitter @CynthiaRDelaney.
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