Here’s Why Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement Is Poised for Monstrous 2026 Performance
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The Toronto Blue Jays' organization has been crystal clear about how aggressive they are this postseason as they try to avoid the same heartbreaking loss that came in an extra-inning game seven of the World Series this year. If there is a weak link on the roster, they are addressing it to ensure that their 2026 roster is as good as it possibly can be.
Now the players who were a part of the 2025 "almost" Cinderella Story have been under a microscope to see what areas of the team need fixing, and one player that won't be up for discussion is their third baseman, Ernie Clement.
Clement is coming off a record-breaking performance at the plate during their playoff run, making quite the statement in his very first trip to the postseason. The 29-year-old has found a home in Toronto, and one shouldn't be surprised if he keeps getting better and better.
What To Expect for 2026
To say Clement stepped up in a big way for Toronto during their best season in 32 years would be quite the understatement, as he broke a few records in MLB postseason history after finishing the final game going 3-for-5.
- Most Multi-Hit Games (10)
- Most Hits (30)
- Most Singles (21)
If Clement ends up looking half as good as he did during his 18 games in October, then he will emerge as one of the best all-around offensive weapons in baseball, not just for the Blue Jays. He competed with the best of the best throughout the postseason as one of the greatest on any of the teams in the playoffs.
*Note* These placings are only looking at players who stepped up to bat in these playoffs at least 35 times.
- 13 Runs (third)
- 30 Hits (first)
- 6 Doubles (tied for first)
- 1 Triple (tied for first)
- 9 RBI (tied for eighth)
- 5 Strikeouts (fewest)
- .411 Batting Average (first)
- .416 On-Base Percentage (third)
- .562 Slugging Percentage (sixth)
- .978 OPS (fifth)
HISTORY: Ernie Clement now has the most hits in a single #Postseason in baseball history 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Iq749bGEu2
— MLB (@MLB) November 2, 2025
Clement's Time With the Blue Jays
After being passed around the league, early on in his career, Clement has clearly found a home with Toronto. He improved astronomically from his first full year with the Jays, which came in 2024, as his batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS all grew in one offseason.
His 2025 season was by far the greatest of his career thus far with more hits, runs scored, total bases and doubles. If Bo Bichette leaves, it is fair to say that he will be able to pick up some of the production that will be lost as he prepares for a breakthrough year in 2026.
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.