The Toronto Blue Jays have been steadily building momentum over the past month, and with the end of the regular season just over a month away, each and every game becomes more and more important down the stretch.
Right now, the team are three games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League, but as they continue to get healthier, this is a team that has as good a chance as anyone in the AL to make a late post-season push. Now, ahead of their series finale with the Kansas City Royals, the team have shaken things up, especially with Ernie Clement as they look to wrap up yet another series win in August.
Ernie Clement to Play Shortstop in Royals Finale
GettyErnie Clement of the Toronto Blue Jays.
After a disappointing start to the series on Tuesday, the Blue Jays bounced back with a much needed win yesterday, and now, they’ll turn to Spencer Arrighetti in the finale as they look to close out a series win and get closer to that final Wild Card spot.
There’s been plenty of chopping and changing in the lineup lately, and that’s no different on Thursday, as the team have now not only moved Ernie Clement up in the lineup against left-hander Noah Cameron, but he’ll play shortstop in place of Andres Gimenez while hitting sixth in the lineup.
Against the lefty, it’s no shock that Clement is playing a bigger role, with the team stacking their lineup full of right-handed hitters, with just Nathan Lukes in the 9-spot as the lone lefty in the team for this matchup.
Ernie Clement Earns Key Role for the Blue Jays
While Clement hasn’t been as hot as he was early in the season, he remains a critical part of what Toronto are trying to do as a team, as he has hit .229 through 83 plate appearances in August, all while continuing to play versatile, impressive defense.
Overall on the year, Clement is now hitting .282 with a .705 OPS, notching nine home runs and 43 RBI to go along with that, and while he’s been hitting down the lineup as of late, he’s still just as critical to the success of this team no matter where he’s playing or what his role is. Given the inexperience on the mound on Thursday, the team will hope to use the left-right matchup to their advantage, and with Clement and the rest of the hot Jays hitters in the lineup, the team remain confident moving forward.
With the team falling behind in the Wild Card race as of late, the team will be hoping to finish off this series against the Royals with a win on Thursday before they take on the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Guardians in back-to-back series, and given how close they all are in the Wild Card race, each and every game, especially against these opponents is critical in the next few weeks.
Blue Jays Make Ernie Clement Change Ahead of Royals Finale