The Toronto Blue Jays fell to the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 on Monday at Camden Yards. Ernie Clement was held hitless in the loss, extending a recent slide at the plate.
He grounded out to third and flied out to right against Orioles starter Shane Baz.
The loss dropped the Blue Jays to 77-80. Toronto fell 3 1/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox for the final American League wild-card spot, with five games left.
Clement still leads the Blue Jays with 151 hits this season. He is batting .264 with nine home runs and 48 RBIs, adding 32 doubles across 153 games.
It helped him earn his first All-Star selection in 2026. But his production has cooled since late summer. Clement is hitting just .159 over a 19-game stretch this month.
Ernie Clement Dealt Bad News on Future
Following the loss, Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker on Sportsnet 590 The FAN argued the Blue Jays should consider trading Clement this offseason.
“It’s your job in the offseason to prepare yourself mentally and physically to give me 162 games,” Barker said. “One for 10 in those three games, two for his last 24, he’s had three extra-base hits in his last 76 at-bats. He can’t be your everyday second baseman. If I need to trade him to get what I need, I’m trading him. That’s kind of where we’re at with this.”
Clement has appeared in 153 of Toronto’s games this season and can play second, third and shortstop, which is exactly why Schneider keeps writing him into the lineup.
“He’s played a lot,” Barker said, mimicking Schneider. “If that’s your answer every time we ask about Ernie, then stop playing him a lot.”
“He’s a fan favorite,” Blaird added. “But I think most smart baseball fans look at him and see a guy who is a utility player. He’s a guy — he can’t play every day for you.”
Clement’s production and price tag argue for keeping him. He was voted the American League’s starting second baseman for this year’s All-Star Game. He is also making just $4.6 million this season, one of the more team-friendly deals on Toronto’s roster.
Dylan Cease Maybe Out for the Season
Dylan Cease is also in the news this week. He underwent an MRI on his right shoulder Saturday after a velocity drop in his last start against the Texas Rangers.
“It’s definitely a bit heavy and achy, just not normal,” he said. “It’s not something I need surgery for or anything like that, it’s just inflammation, that middle ground.”
Cease said he first felt discomfort around July 25. He was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday against Baltimore. It remains unclear whether he will pitch again this season.
Cease is 11-6 with a 2.40 ERA and 239 strikeouts over 169 innings in his first season with Toronto.
Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement Dealt Bad News on Future After Orioles Loss