The Toronto Blue Jays and Ernie Clement have been the ideal pairing.
Clement’s MLB career was trending toward journeyman status when he arrived in Toronto, and he has since turned into an every-day player for the Blue Jays.
That’s not guaranteed to continue next season, though, as there has been plenty of speculation on Clement being replaced as Toronto’s starting second baseman.
Clement isn’t out of contract, so it’s unlikely he’d go anywhere even if a new player was brought in for that spot.
The Blue Jays also aren’t likely to just replace Clement with anyone. It would likely take a clear upgrade to go for it.
With that in mind, a couple names that will be available are the types that could actually make some sense.
Blue Jays 2B Options
The name that was most recently floated was Jazz Chisholm Jr.
He’s heading to free agency after his time with the New York Yankees, and he’s certainly a talented player with a ton of tools.
“Chisholm is one of the best free agents they’ll be able to get this winter,” Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer wrote on Thursday. “After hitting just 152 homers (30th in MLB) and stealing 75 bases (27th in MLB), they badly need his power and speed. Given the chip on his shoulder, it also wouldn’t be the worst thing if Chisholm had 13 chances every year to take it to the Yankees.”
That article by Rymer actually listed the Blue Jays as the top out of five potential destinations for Chisholm.
One other name has been thrown around, mostly by Toronto fans on social media: Brandon Lowe.
Lowe just played this past season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He’s a left-handed hitter with great raw power who has spent most of his MLB career with the Tampa Bay Rays, so Blue Jays fans are solidly familiar with him from the time in the AL East.
Both of those options bring power to the table in a way Clement doesn’t.
What Happens to Ernie Clement?
The interesting thing, of course, is that if the Blue Jays bring in one of these guys, it may actually push Clement back into a utility role that he’s superb at.
In 2025, Clement was a nominee for a Gold Glove as a utility man.
“Clement can play everywhere, after all,” Rymer wrote in his article.
Clement got off to a strong start in 2026, but the second half was a tough one for him, and that could cost him a portion of his job.
Given what Clement has done for the Blue Jays, though, it’s safe to expect they’ll still find a steady way to use him — it just may not be full-time at second base next season.
Blue Jays Have 2 Options To Replace Ernie Clement