Ernie

Clement

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).

The 36-year-old slugger missed each of the previous two games — both Blue Jays’ road victories — due to discomfort in his right side. He’ll serve as the designated hitter and bat leadoff against Dodgers’ right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Friday evening. Here’s the full lineup the Jays will use as they attempt to close out their first World Series Championship since 1993: Springer (DH), Nathan Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Bo Bichette (2B), Daulton Varsho (CF), Alejandro Kirk (C), Addison Barger (RF), Ernie Clement (3B) and Andrés Giménez (SS).

Springer wasn’t able to swing well enough before the game to return to the lineup after leaving Game 3 with right side discomfort. The 36-year-old veteran could be available off the bench to pinch-hit in a key spot, based on the tone of Blue Jays manager John Schneider’s pregame comments, though that’s far from a certainty. Nathan Lukes has been moved up to the leadoff spot in his absence with Bo Bichette taking over at DH and Isiah Kiner-Falefa at second base as Toronto faces Dodger superstar Shohei Ohtani on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Here’s the full lineup: Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Bichette (DH), Addison Barger (RF), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Andrés Giménez (SS) and Kiner-Falefa (2B).

Bichette came off the bench as a pinch-hitter during Saturday evening’s Game 2 loss at the Rogers Centre after making his first professional start at the keystone during the Fall Classic opener. The Blue Jays will continue to manage his workload the rest of the way as the 27-year-old impending free agent is coming back from a PCL sprain in his right knee that put him on the shelf in early September. No real changes otherwise from Toronto manager John Schneider as the best-of-seven series heads to Los Angeles with Tyler Glasnow on the hill for the Dodgers. Here’s the full lineup: George Springer (DH), Nathan Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Bichette (2B), Daulton Varsho (CF), Alejandro Kirk (C), Addison Barger (RF), Ernie Clement (3B) and Andrés Giménez (SS).

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is at second base with Bichette on the bench to open Saturday’s showdown at the Rogers Centre. The 27-year-old impending free agent made his first-ever appearance at the keystone during the Fall Classic opener and went 1-for-2 with a walk in his first game action since September 6. It doesn’t come as a total surprise that the Blue Jays are going to be extremely cautious with his workload considering the nature of the right knee injury he’s working his way back from. The other notable change for Toronto is Addison Barger entering the lineup after slugging a pinch-hit grand slam during Friday’s series-opening victory. Here’s the full lineup: George Springer (DH), Nathan Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Barger (RF), Kiner-Falefa (2B) and Andrés Giménez (SS).

Bichette makes his highly anticipated return to the Jays’ lineup and should provide a boost to an offense that was already firing on all cylinders heading into the fall classic. Here’s the full lineup that the Jays will roll out against left-hander Blake Snell on baseball’s biggest stage on Friday: George Springer (DH), Davis Schneider (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Bo Bichette (2B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Myles Straw (RF) and Andrés Giménez (SS).

Springer went 0-for-4 out of the leadoff spot during Sunday’s win-or-go-home Game 6 showdown after making an early exit from Game 5 on Friday night with a knee contusion. Toronto has a chance to punch their ticket to the Fall Classic to face the defending World Series champion Dodgers. Here’s the full lineup: Springer (DH), Nathan Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Addison Barger (RF), Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2B) and Andrés Giménez (SS).