Ernie Clement has gained a whole lot of fans this postseason.
The Toronto Blue Jays picked Clement up in 2023 after both Cleveland and Oakland got rid of him. And two years later, he’s been a playoff hero.
Clement is an everyman’s ballplayer. He’s not a huge dude. He rocks the high socks. He just finds a lot of reasons to smile on the field.
And he’ll be a key part of the Blue Jays trying to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday night.
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Who is Ernie Clement?
Ernie Clement is a 29-year old utility infielder for the Blue Jays.
He’s originally from Brighton, New York, outside of Rochester. He was a star baseball and hockey player.
Clement went from Brighton to the University of Virginia, where he was a national champion as a freshman.
He was eventually a fourth-round pick by Cleveland, for whom he played two MLB seasons before being cut loose to the Oakland Athletics, who eventually offloaded him to the Blue Jays.
Ernie has stuck in Toronto, getting an opportunity to spread his wings and be his best self on the diamond.
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How is Ernie Clement nominated for 2 Gold Gloves?
This is one of the cooler Clement facts from this season: He’s nominated for a Gold Glove at both third base and as a utility man.
The utility Gold Glove honor is a recently added award, and it doesn’t preclude a player from being nominated at an individual spot, too.
Clement has always been capable of playing shortstop, third base and second base. This season, he added first base to the mix (and at Virginia, he played some centerfield).
Ernie Clement’s hit streak history
Ernie Clement has hit safely in 12 consecutive games entering Game 7 of the World Series.
That’s tied for the longest playoff hit streak in Blue Jays history, with Pat Borders from the 1992 World Series champions.
It could be a great Saturday for Clement. If he gets a hit, he’ll have that record all to himself. And if it comes in a victory, he’ll be a champion.
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