John Schneider moved Ernie Clement to the leadoff spot for the Toronto Blue Jays before Monday’s Giants game against the San Francisco Giants, a clear attempt to jolt an offense that had gone silent. Clement had not opened a game at the top of the order since April.
The change mattered because it came right after Toronto was shut out in its last two games against the Seattle Mariners, and the club needed a quick answer. Schneider was looking for Clement to provide a spark, even though the infielder had been one of the Blue Jays’ steadiest hitters all season.
Clement had earned that trust with a.293 average, a.745 OPS and a 105 OPS+ this year. He also led the American League with 22 doubles, had seven home runs and posted 1.2 bWAR, production that helped turn him into an All-Star for the first time. He was also set to start at second base for the American League in next Tuesday’s festivities at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after drawing the most votes of any player in the league.
That is what made the lineup shift so striking. Toronto was not benching a struggling regular; it was moving one of its best performers because the broader offense had stalled badly enough to force a rewrite. The Blue Jays had two more series left before the MLB All-Star Game break, and they were trying to use that stretch to get their bats back on track while staying in a Wild Card run in the American League.
For now, the answer to whether Clement stays in the leadoff spot is tied to results, not sentiment. If the move gives the Blue Jays life, Schneider has a reason to keep it. If it does not, Monday’s Giants game may end up looking less like a one-night spark and more like the first try in a longer search.
