Ernie Clement is an All-Star, fan favorite, and core piece of the Toronto Blue Jays, though some may not know he almost ended up with one of their bitter rivals instead.
The fourth-round pick (132nd overall) of the Guardians in 2017 struggled to find his footing in Cleveland and was eventually placed on waivers in 2023. We know Clement ultimately landed in Toronto, but insider Shi Davidi recently revealed that he came just as close to choosing the New York Yankees — the team he grew up cheering for.
“The Athletics, who had claimed him off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians the previous September, had released him March 12, and the calls to agent Steve Skrinar started immediately after. Two leading options quickly emerged — the New York Yankees, who held appeal as Clement’s childhood team; and the Toronto Blue Jays, whose triple-A affiliate in Buffalo offered the Rochester, N.Y., native a chance to play close to home.
The Yankees made what Skrinar described as “a pretty good offer,” but he felt the Blue Jays, who had less money on the table, actually had the better opportunity,”
The 30-year-old Clement is currently playing on the one-year, $4.6 million contract he signed with the Blue Jays in January to avoid arbitration. He has hit eight home runs, driven in 32 runs, and is batting .296 through 93 games this season.
Who knows where this team would be without Clement, who seemingly came out of nowhere to spearhead last year’s miracle run to the World Series and has helped keep Toronto afloat through the first half of this up-and-down season.
Thankfully for the Blue Jays and their fans, Clement is here to stay for a while. Although he’s playing on a one-year deal, he remains under team control and won’t be eligible for unrestricted free agency until 2029.
