This Blue Jays player could make history with his Gold Glove nominations

Ernie Clement has the opportunity to do something no one has ever done before: win two Gold Gloves in the same year. Clement was named as a finalist for third base and as a utility player. Only three players in MLB history have won Gold Gloves for multiple positions (Darin Erstad, DJ LeMahieu, and Plácido Polanco), but none have done it in the same year.

Clement played every position in the infield in 2025, though he spent the most time at third base (603 innings). He led the majors in defensive runs saved (DRS) with 22 (tied with Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians). He was twelfth in outs above average (OAA) at +14 and 15th in runs prevented with ten.

Ernie Clement was nominated for a Gold Glove at two positions and could make history by winning those awards.

As a third baseman, Clement was fourth in OAA at +6 and had +11 DRS. Maikel Garcia from the Kansas City Royals and José Ramírez from the Cleveland Guardians are the other finalists. Garcia is particularly tough competition. He led third basemen in DRS (13), was second in OAA (+17) and runs prevented (16).

Clement faces competition for the utility Gold Glove from the Houston Astros' Mauricio Dubon and the Guardians' Daniel Schneeman. Dubon won the award in 2023 and was a finalist in 2024. Schneeman committed two errors on 342 chances.

Clement was drafted by the Guardians in 2017, but he didn't make his Major League debut until 2021. He was released by the team in September of 2022 before signing with the Athletics. He played just six games with the team before being released once again.

Clement signed with the Blue Jays in 2023 but spent most of the season with the Buffalo Bisons, Toronto's Triple-A affiliate. In 2024, Clement played 139 games with the Blue Jays. He was a finalist for the Gold Glove at third base, but lost out to Alex Bregman.

2024 was a preview of what was to come from Clement. He led the majors in defensive wins above replacement (2.9). Offensively, he was third on the Blue Jays in runs (83), fourth in hits (151), and second in doubles (35). In 545 at-bats, he only struck out 61 times. In his first postseason appearance, Clement went 9-for-14 with five RBIs against the New York Yankees.

Clement was consistently a player the Blue Jays could rely on. His defensive versatility allowed the team to move him around the infield depending on what the team needed. He played the most games among the Blue Jays (157). That's despite dealing with a hairline fracture in his hand and stitches in his leg at the end of August.

His tenacity has left a mark on the Blue Jays. In August, he was named the Blue Jays' winner of the Heart and Hustle award for his passion for baseball. The two nominations cap off a brilliant season from Clement. He showed up for the Blue Jays across the board and was a big reason for the Blue Jays' success in 2025.