Ernie Clement will have to return to his position

This year, Ernie Clement was a regular. He was the second baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays.

He started the season strong, picking up where he left off in the playoffs. That even earned him a spot in the All-Star Game.

But in the second half of the season, he ran out of steam. Just when the Blue Jays needed offense, he didn't deliver.

So what's next?

Ross Atkins admitted to the media that the starting second base position isn't guaranteed for him moving forward.

The GM said his player will have to earn it.

Interesting reply from GM Ross Atkins when asked if Ernie Clement will be the Blue Jays' starting second baseman next season: pic.twitter.com/WbMbtkOSUv

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) September 30, 2026

Basically, he got his message across to the player without completely shutting him down. Criticizing him publicly would have been unfair.

He said that whenever Clement faced a challenge, he rose to it. He also said that Clement could handle the role of a utility player who steps up to the plate 500 times a year.

So basically, Ross Atkins left the door open for a new player to take his place and put pressure on Clement.

It's worth noting that Atkins did pretty much the same thing with Brett Bateman in center field. How did he put it?

Atkins said he liked Clement's transition to the majors, but he pointed out that you can't just copy and paste the 2026 results onto a full season in 2027.

He also doesn't want to put too much pressure on a young player. In other words? We'll look at our options, and you'd better be ready for the 2027 spring training camp.

Asked about Brett Bateman, Ross Atkins said: “I don't think he could have transitioned any better from the minor leagues.” He cited Bateman's moxie and baseball IQ. He added, “We need to be cautious about how much pressure we put on players.” We can't just copy and paste 2026 for 162 games.

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) September 30, 2026

The 2026 season was a struggle offensively, and all options must remain open for a club that has the financial resources to match its ambitions.

But if Ross Atkins can't add new players, he'll need the ones he has to be hungry to make an impact in 2027.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.