Infielder Ernie Clement has fully broken out in year four with the Toronto Blue Jays. After setting the record for most hits in a single postseason during last year's run to the World Series, Clement has carried that positive momentum into 2026.
Across 76 games, he has posted a .293 batting average, .314 on-base percentage, .753 OPS, seven home runs and 28 RBIs. He leads the American League with 20 doubles, providing plenty of extra-base power while also making contact more consistently than anyone else on the team.
Clement will likely be heading to his first career All-Star Game and will likely start, as he currently holds more votes than any other player in the American League.
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However, Clement has been battling a left hip injury that has interrupted his June and caused him to miss some time. He was initially given a day off to let the soreness subside, but the discomfort has lingered.
Altogether, he has now missed three games due to the setback and may potentially miss a fourth, as ahead of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros, Clement was once again not in the lineup.
Fortunately, manager John Schneider announced an encouraging update on his condition, revealing that Clement is available off the bench and that the hope is he is right back in the starting nine Thursday.
"Probably pissed off he's not playing, which is great," Schneider said according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, complimenting Clement's competitive spirit.
The good news is that Clement will clearly not require a stint on the injured list, which is the best possible outcome for the team.
The Blue Jays do have infield depth, but losing a player as versatile as Clement would be a significant blow, especially as Toronto is still fighting to climb above the .500 mark. Still, it is best to play it safe and let him fully recover given how important he is to everything this team is trying to do in the second half.
