Ross Atkins leaves door open for Blue Jays to upgrade over Ernie Clement ahead of 2027

Ernie Clement has earned the trust of the Toronto Blue Jays with his versatility, contact skills and ability to provide value in several different roles. What he has not earned is a guarantee that second base belongs to him again in 2027.

General manager Ross Atkins spoke during his year-end media availability on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 30). He praised Clement’s ability to impact the lineup, but he was also carefully about saying the Blue Jays are guaranteed to start 2027 with Clement as the every day second baseman.

Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reported that Atkins said, “He’s got to earn every bit of that… We’re always trying to complement every player the best that we can. Ernie can be an everyday, impactful player. He can also be a player that takes 500 at-bats and plays at a really high level and because we’re such a good team, he isn’t the guy that’s being pencilled in every day.”

That answer points to the Blue Jays trying to take more advantage around Clement’s defensive flexibility. In 2026, Clement played second in 132 games, while manning third 14 teams and shortstop 40 time. He was also in left field three times. A year earlier, he earned a nomination for the Gold Glove award for utility players and as a third baseman. He played third 89 times in 2025, second 60 times and short 29 times.

He only played one more game in 2026 than he did in 2025 but he posted much better numbers and the Blue Jays are looking to be more cognisant of how to get the most out of Clement without over exposing him.

Blue Jays have plenty of options to pair with Ernie Clement at second base

Atkins did not outwardly promise they are going to bring someone in to upgrade at second base. But it makes sense when he spent other parts of the media conference commenting on the need to upgrade the team's offense, especially when it came to power and more consistency. One of the clearest areas to do so is at second and in the outfield.

Clement’s versatility also means they aren't looking for a complete revamp, but they specifically want to find someone who lengthens the lineup and can be deployed up the middle. The obvious answer is free agent Brandon Lowe who is coming off a 35 home run, .824 OPS season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Blue Jays should have money to spend this winter and could offer the 32-year-old a decent multi-year deal.

They could also look at players like Luis Arraez (.310 batting average, 110 wRC+), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (19 home runs), or Ozzie Albies (22 home runs) if he ops-out of his deal. The Blue Jays might also look at a free agent shortstop such as Mauricio Dubón (12 home runs, 2.4 fWAR), or J.P. Crawford (14 home runs, 105 wRC+) and consider moving them or incumbent shortstop Andrés Giménez over to the keystone.

They also have internal options on the table, though none will be as established as Lowe. Charles McAdoo hit 16 home runs in 89 games in Triple-A this year. In 36 games at the big league level he hit three of them, with a .694 OPS. There's Josh Kasevich who slashed .282/.364/.363 with four home runs with the Buffalo Bisons. Jay Harry hit a combined 14 home runs in 105 minor league games this year and slashed .298/.343/.495.

Perhaps Addison Barger also looks to move back to the infield. He underwent season ending elbow surgery in July after he landed on the IL in May. He threw a 101.2 mph bullet to home from right field during a game against the LA Angels and perhaps, for his long-term health, he requires a position change. Barger played some short and second in the minor leagues, though he was mostly a third baseman and outfielder.

The Blue Jays have plenty of options on the table going into 2027 to better utilize second base, especially in the event that Clement struggles again as he did in the second half of 2026.

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