When you look at the Blue Jays’ 2025 roster, one player who really sticks out from the group is utility player Ernie Clement.

This was Clement’s second go-around when it comes to regular playing time in the big leagues, and the New York product did not disappoint. The right-handed batter crafted a .277/.313/.398 slash line with a .711 OPS across 545 at-bats, a career high. He also contributed with 35 doubles (another career high), nine home runs, and 50 RBIs.

Where Clement really contributed was on the defensive side of the game, posting a .979 fielding percentage at third base, a .980 fielding rate at second base, and found himself earning a 4.3 bWAR, the third highest mark on the team. A large part of that is because of his fielding, generating a league-high 2.9 dWAR and one of the reasons he earned two Gold Glove nominations heading into the postseason. He also earned the Blue Jays Heart and Hustle Award for his contributions on both sides of the game.

Clement’s impressive play this season has continued into the postseason. A regular in the lineup through the ALDS and ALCS, Clement’s contact approach has been key in starting a few different rallies for the Blue Jays this October, and the right-handed bat sits just behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the most hits this postseason (14). Of those 14 hits, two have been doubles, while he’s also added a home run into the mix, while also being a part of eight runs (13.6% of all runs this postseason) and contributing six RBIs at the bottom of the lineup. Clement also owns a .448 BABIP while striking out just two times.

The Blue Jays’ utility player thrived in the Yankees series, where he collected nine of his 14 hits against the AL East rival. In this most recent ALCS series, he was a key factor in the Jays getting back into the game by lacing a double off George Kirby to kick off the top of the third inning before Andres Gimenez brought him home on a home run shortly after, tying the game at two runs apiece before the Jays opened it wide open. He also singled in the top of the fifth to score another run, making it an 8-2 game.

Clement also added to the run medley in yesterday’s game, leading off the top of the eighth inning with a single to left field before being brought home on an Andres Gimenez single, making it, you guessed it, 8-2.

Overall, the right-handed bat at the bottom of the lineup has been a key cog in the Blue Jays hit machine this postseason. He’s also been splitting time between second base and third base with Andres Gimenez shifting to shortstop with Bo Bichette out of the lineup, providing some defensive insurance on both sides of the diamond. Clement boasts a clean 1.000 fielding percentage between both spots with 17 assists and 10 putouts. He’s also doing this while battling some various injuries that have been causing him some grief, dating back to a ‘small’ hairline fracture in his left hand and some stitches in his leg from late August.

As the Jays continue to trek towards a World Series berth, Clement will continue to be part of the Jays’ everyday lineup. He continues to provide strong value to get on base before the Jays’ top of the order bats come around again, even if Gimenez’s power starts to cool off over the next few games.

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