Ernie

Clement

Clement has started all 27 games for the Blue Jays this season and has hit first or second in eight straight. The move up the order coincided with George Springer’s trip to the injured list, so there’s no guarantee it lasts. The 2025 postseason hero has become the team’s everyday second baseman while still mixing in reps at shortstop and third base.

Clement got his three hits without the benefit of a hard-hit ball. He’s second in the majors with 32 hits this season, and he was tied for 99th with 28 hard-hit balls coming into the day, with a couple of more guys probably passing him this afternoon.

It’s the first three-hit game for Clement, and he’s picked up four multi-hit games thus far in the month of April. The 30-year-old is hitting .311, but with little power as seen in a .393 slugging percentage.

Okamoto takes a seat after striking out four times during Friday’s contest against the White Sox. Ernie Clement takes over at the hot corner with Davis Schneider at the keystone. The 29-year-old third baseman is hitting .250 (11-for-50) with two homers and three RBI through 13 games in his first exposure to the majors.

The Jays have finished the spring with either Clement of Nathan Lukes hitting in that second spot in the order between George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., which could be indicative of how they’ll line up once the regular season begins. Those lineups have had Daulton Varsho batting in the sixth slot with Kazuma Okamoto batting seventh.

Electrifying Mets rookie Nolan McLean takes the ball as Team USA looks to remain unbeaten in pool play, and clinch a spot in the quarterfinals, following a thrilling victory over Mexico on Monday night. Judge has served as Team USA’s primary offensive catalyst, hitting .333 (4-for-12) with two homers and five RBI through three contests during the international showcase. Here’s the full lineup: Bobby Witt Jr. (SS), Gunnar Henderson (3B), Judge (RF), Kyle Schwarber (DH), Will Smith (C), Roman Anthony (LF), Paul Goldschmidt (1B), Ernie Clement (2B) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (CF).

Clement has been hitting leadoff so far this spring, but we assume that’s because George Springer isn’t yet playing. Clement would be fine at the top of the lineup against lefties, but he hit just .254/.295/.327 versus righties last year. The Jays are set to treat him as a full-timer at second base this year, but it will be interesting to see if they need to go look for an upgrade against righties at some point.

Okamoto immediately slots into the heart of Toronto’s loaded lineup as the defending American League champions open their spring exhibition schedule. The 29-year-old infielder brings an extensive track record of success in Japan as a power-oriented bat with solid contact skills, a profile that should make his transition to the majors less volatile than most international imports. He’s been going outside the top 275 picks on average in NFBC drafts since early February, making him an intriguing late-round flyer for fantasy managers. Here is the full lineup: Ernie Clement (2B), Andrés Giménez (SS), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Addison Barger (RF, Okamoto (3B), Daulton Varsho (DH), Davis Schneider (LF), Nathan Lukes (CF).

The playoff superstar was tremendous for the Blue Jays in 2025, hitting .277/.313/.398 with nine home runs and six steals in 157 games while playing all over the field. With the team signing Kazuma Okamoto, Clement is the favorite to begin the year at second base in 2026.

Springer has been playing through a laundry list of physical issues this postseason, but he’s atop Toronto’s lineup as the calendar flips to November for the most important contest for the franchise in over three decades. Alejandro Kirk is a full-go for the winner-take-all showdown at the Rogers Centre after being plunked on the left hand during the ninth inning of Game 6. Here’s the full lineup set to face Dodgers superstar Shoei Ohtani and company: Springer (DH), Nathan Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Bo Bichette (2B), Addison Barger (RF), Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B) and Andrés Giménez (SS).