The next 4 moves the Blue Jays need to make after the Santiago Espinal trade

Confirm that spring training sensation Ernie Clement has made the team

With many players working hard and doing their best to impress with hopes in making the Opening Day roster, it may finally be the time to reward at least one deserving player that has proven his worth this spring: Ernie Clement.

After joining the Jays via minor league contract last March, Clement’s stellar performance with the Buffalo Bisons eventually forced the team’s hand to select him to the 40-man roster and call him up on multiple occasions during the 2023 season. In total, Clement impressed with a resounding .380 batting average, .885 OPS, with 7 runs scored, a home run and 10 RBI in just 52 plate appearances. On top of that, he was also sure-handed in the field as he posted a decent 4 DRS defensively over 24 games.

This spring, Clement has been lighting it up again by compiling an impressive .375 batting average, 1.090 OPS, along with 7 runs scored, 3 home runs, 8 RBI and a pair of stolen bases in 14 games played. By officially letting Clement know that he has made the Opening Day roster sooner rather than later, not only would it allow him to relax and fine-tune his game to gear up for the regular season, but it would also show that unexpected jobs can actually be won to serve as inspiration for many of the other hopefuls on the team. More importantly, with no minor league options remaining, the Jays can’t risk losing a potential hidden gem like Clement for nothing.