Ernie Clement, left, of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after tagging out Teoscar Hernandez, right, of the Los Angeles Dodgers at third base during the sixth inning of Game 3 of the World Series on Monday in Los Angeles.Patrick Smith/Getty Images
He is the happiest guy in the Toronto Blue Jays clubhouse. A fellow who manager John Schneider likens to a puppy.
“Ernie Clement never has a bad day,” Schneider said.
At age 29, Clement is living a dream as Toronto’s third baseman. A couple of years ago he was cut by two teams in a matter of months and nearly out of baseball.
The Blue Jays signed him to a minor-league contract in 2023 and he has since established himself as one of their most consistent players.
He had a career-best 35 doubles and a .277 batting average during the regular season and went into Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday against the Dodgers hitting .386 in 14 playoff contests.
Cathal Kelly: Baseball is set to get a lot less fun with the advent of robo umpires
He has a little bit of pop – 10 total home runs this year – but his specialty is chipping away until he finds a pitch to deposit safely in the outfield.
Ahead of Game 4 he had struck out just three times in 57 at-bats this postseason.
“He has always believed in himself,” David Popkins, Toronto’s hitting coach, said. “He just needed someone to give him a chance. He continues to evolve and we haven’t seen the best of him yet.”
Clement was drafted in the fourth round by the Cleveland Guardians in 2017 and made his big-league debut in 2021. He was designated for assignment in September of ’22 and was picked up by the Oakland A’s two days later.
Clement hits a run-scoring single during the sixth inning of Game 1 of the World Series.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
He didn’t have much of an opportunity with either of those clubs but he didn’t do much to distinguish himself, either. Then the Blue Jays tossed him a life preserver and he went from being a marginal major leaguer to a mainstay.
“I just try to keep things really simple,” Clement said on World Series media day in Toronto. “I try to get on base for the big guns behind me. The simpler the better.
“Every one of those failures I have had taught me a lesson and I have really learned from that and just found what works for me. If none of that happened, I definitely wouldn’t be the baseball player or the man I am today.”
He is from Rochester. N.Y., and like many people who live upstate was a Yankees fan in his youth. One of his dad’s greatest heroes was New York first baseman Don Mattingly, who is now Toronto’s bench coach.
“Before games, he catches my throws,” Clement said. “It’s pretty amazing. He’s a legend in the game. I mean, I’m pretty star struck with a lot of the old-timers that you see.”
Clement speaks to the media during World Series Workout Day at Rogers Centre on Oct. 23.Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
This year he is nominated for a gold glove at third base and as a utility player. Oddly enough, the glove he’s using was an eBay purchase. Clement told ESPN’s Tim Kurkijian that he has to wear a glove underneath the old, worn mitt that he won on the auction site. Whatever he’s done it’s worked. Clement can pretty much play every infield position other than first base.
“I’ve never doubted my abilities and the work and everything I have put into it,” Clement said. “I’ve worked really hard for this. I am ready to play every single day. The trust that has been placed in [me] means a lot.”
Outside of Toronto he may be “Ernie who?” to many baseball fans.
“I have been overlooked a lot over the course of my career, so that’s nothing new,” Clement said. “So I don’t mind that one bit. When you fly under the radar and you play really well people start to pick up on it. But I would rather be under the radar. I think it’s great and I’m used to it.”
Opinion: Win or lose, it’s heartbreak time with our Jays – try to enjoy every minute of it
He plays joyfully and is grateful to be where he is. He nearly always has a smile on his face. If he had a tail to wag, it would be wagging all the time.
“I played some of my best baseball in my backyard as a kid and I am trying to bring about some of that,” he said.
He laughed when he heard that his manager said he never has a bad day.
“I’ve thrown a bat or helmet or two,” Clement said. “But I love baseball. I have the best job in the whole world. It’s hard to be in a bad mood.”
The series with the Dodgers has been promoted as a matchup between David and Goliath. Los Angeles is trying to win its second consecutive World Series. The Blue Jays last won in 1993.
“David won that one, didn’t he,” Clement said. “I’ll take that.”