How Blue Jays beat the Yankees for Ernie Clement
In March 2023, Ernie Clement signed with the Toronto Blue Jays instead of his childhood New York Yankees because Toronto promised steady Triple-A playing time near his Rochester, N.Y., home and a clearer path to the majors — a bet that produced an All-Star: Clement is now the AL starting second baseman and top vote-getter with more than 3.2 million fan ballots.
When the Oakland Athletics released Clement on March 12, 2023, four teams chased the versatile infielder. Agent Steve Skrinar fielded calls immediately. The Yankees held emotional appeal; the Blue Jays offered Buffalo's proximity to Clement's hometown. Two days later, he chose Toronto — and reset his career.
Key Takeaways
- Clement signed with Toronto on March 14, 2023, after the Athletics cut him following a Guardians waiver claim.
- He passed on a richer Yankees deal for Triple-A reps and a clearer big-league pathway.
- He hit .328 with five homers in 35 Buffalo games before a May 2023 call-up.
- Clement received 3,232,932 Phase 1 All-Star votes — the most in the American League.
- He starts at second base for the AL on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Why did Ernie Clement choose the Blue Jays over the Yankees?
Growing up in Rochester, Clement rooted for the Yankees and idolized Derek Jeter. When he hit free agency in spring 2023, New York made what Skrinar described as a "pretty good offer." The Blue Jays came in lighter on money.
Playing time and geography won out. Clement wanted four or five Triple-A games a week while staying close to family. Skrinar also believed Toronto's depth chart, despite stars like Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman, still offered Clement his best shot at returning to the majors.
Skrinar called Blue Jays assistant GM Mike Murov — a contact since 2008 Marlins internships — and negotiated better terms. Within 30 seconds of thinking it over, Clement called back: "Let's do it, Toronto, here we go."
How did a minor-league signing become an All-Star breakthrough?
Clement's Toronto arc moved fast. He batted .328 with five home runs across 35 Triple-A games, then debuted in May 2023. Over 3.5 seasons he evolved from roster filler to everyday infielder, set a single-season playoff hits record, played for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, and locked in an All-Star starting spot.
Entering the 96th Midsummer Classic, Yahoo Sports listed him at .296 with eight homers and 32 RBIs in 93 games. His 3,232,932 Phase 1 votes topped Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, and Yordan Alvarez — and skipped Phase 2 entirely.
"The failures that I've had have helped me learn and grow," Clement told Yahoo Sports. "When I go out there and play, I'm not worried about making an error or striking out — I've done that enough."
What made Clement's All-Star rise resonate beyond Toronto?
Blue Jays fans returned the affection loudly. Clement told Sportsnet his bobblehead day drew queue lengths the franchise had rarely seen for a non-marquee name. In a RochesterFirst interview, he also discussed beer, baseball, and what the All-Star nod meant to his upstate roots.
Stories where development paths and fan momentum collide mirror the disruptive arcs we track in our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage. For primary reporting on the Yankees rivalry twist, see Sportsnet's Shi Davidi feature.