Ernie Clement nearly defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.
It was his fly ball to deep left field that would’ve been a walk-off winner for the championship if Andy Pages didn’t run it down for a miraculous, game-saving catch — before the Dodgers went on to win the title in extra innings.
A bit more than a year later, Clement could be heading to the Dodgers.
It’s just a concept right now, an idea floated by The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon in a new article on Thursday.
But it was a real enough thought that Bannon suggested it. Here’s what you need to know.
Ernie Clement to Dodgers?
Bannon’s connection of a Clement-to-the-Dodgers trade starts with what the Blue Jays might do this offseason.
Essentially, Toronto might get what they view as an infield upgrade. That could box out Clement.
This is how Bannon explains it:
The Jays’ interest in a powerful infield addition is well documented. They surveyed the trade market last deadline, checked back in on Ketel Marte and are interested in free agents Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Brandon Lowe.
If the Jays make that infield move, though, they’ll probably have to move someone else out. Any legitimate infield addition makes it hard for Ernie Clement and Josh Smith to stick on the roster, as only one could slide into a utility role. Smith and Clement are expected to be tendered contracts by the Jays next week, but if they’re later displaced by a signing or trade, plenty of teams could pounce on a versatile infielder — the Dodgers and Detroit Tigers, for example.
It sounds like this isn’t a new idea, either. The phones are ringing.
Bannon wrote: “Clement was a playoff hero in 2025, an All-Star in 2026 and is beloved by fans, but teams have been calling on him already, and the Jays could be forced to listen.”
A Painful Loss
Clement set an all-time record for hits in a postseason in 2025.
Trading him away now would be painful for the Blue Jays, even if it made some sense.
It’d be particularly hard to watch him remain a key contributor, just in a different uniform.
Clement has embraced Toronto, which is where he found MLB success after struggles in Cleveland and Oakland.
Maybe the Blue Jays will trade him away. Maybe it’ll even be to the Dodgers. It’s a storyline that could bring some disappointment to Blue Jays fans.
Blue Jays Might Shockingly Trade Ernie Clement to Dodgers