Blue Jays’ Clement dismisses post-season hits record after World Series loss

TORONTO — Ernie Clement doesn’t care about setting any record, he’ll just miss his friends on the Toronto Blue Jays.

Clement went 3 for 5 at the plate on Saturday to set the record for most hits in Major League Baseball’s post-season. His 30 hits in the 2025 playoffs surpassed the 29 that Randy Arozarena hit for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020.

Making post-season history wasn’t as important to Clement as actually winning the World Series, however, as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to a 5-4 over Toronto in 11 innings in Game 7 of the championship series.

“I don’t really care about it, I just love every single guy in here so much,” said Clement in the Blue Jays clubhouse, still wearing his uniform and with tears in his eyes. “The only thing I can think of right now is spending this last night with all the boys. I’m just going to miss them in the off-season.”

“I couldn’t wait to come to the field every day and just hang with everybody. I’ve been crying for, like, probably an hour, so I thought I was done with the tears.”

Clement’s flyout in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded was one of Toronto’s best chances to win the game after Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas tied the game 4-4 with a solo home run in the top of the inning.

“It was so much fun coming to work every day and battling with these guys,” said an emotional Clement. “We have so much to be proud of, even though it didn’t go our way.”

“All I care about is just hanging with these guys for another couple hours.”

The 29-year-old Clement considers himself fortunate to even be on a big league roster, let alone a significant contributor to a World Series finalist.

Clement was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians. After four years in Cleveland’s minor-league system, Clement made his MLB debut in June 2021 but he only lasted a year with that organization, getting designated for assignment on Sept. 21, 2022.

Two days later, the Oakland Athletics claimed him off waivers and he played out the rest of that season in Northern California.

The Athletics waived him on March 13, 2023, and the Blue Jays scooped him up the next day, sending him to their triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, N.Y.

He spent most of 2023 in Buffalo, but did get 29 games in Toronto. The next year, he played 139 games for the Blue Jays — more than his entire time with Cleveland and Oakland combined — and he was a regular for Toronto in 2025, appearing in 157 games and getting nominated for a Gold Glove both at third base and as a utility player.

“I’ve always believed in myself. That’s something that I’ve never wavered from,” said Clement. “Through the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, I’ve always just brought it back to just believing in myself and knowing that I was ready for any opportunity that I got.”

“I’m really grateful that the Blue Jays have believed in me and given me a good chance. The least I can do is get a couple hits in the playoffs for them, for him for giving me such a cool opportunity.”

He’s done a little more than get “a couple hits.”

Clement has hit .276 in his three seasons in Toronto with 22 home runs, 111 runs batted in, and a .305 on-base percentage. He hit a stellar .411 over three rounds of the 2025 post-season, with a home run, six doubles, and nine RBIs. He had a .416 OBP in 18 playoff games.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Clement’s playoff performance was historic.

“We’re talking about really good pitchers, right-handers, left-handers. Ernie had a phenomenal year. I hope he wins a Gold Glove. He should,” said Schneider. “He became one of the faces of our team because of the way he plays.”

“Unbelievable run that he was on this entire post-season. He’s turned himself into what people think was a waiver wire pickup or a guy that’s kicked around the minors, he’s turned himself into an everyday Major Leaguer that is going to contribute to win a world championship.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2025.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press