Ernie Clement got the last laugh. Or at least a small one.
The Toronto Blue Jays infielder, who led all American League All-Stars in votes for the 2026 Midsummer Classic, made a play in the fifth inning that had a little extra meaning attached to it. With two outs and nobody on, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages smoked a ball up the middle. Looked like a routine single. But Clement, ranging to his right from second base, grabbed it and fired to first to nail Pages by a step.
After the game, Clement didn’t hide why that out felt a little better than usual.
“I had to get him back for what he did to us in the World Series,” Clement said with a laugh, via Sportsnet.
He was referring to Game 7 of the 2025 World Series. The Blue Jays had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth when Clement stepped to the plate. He crushed one to deep left-center. Pages, playing center field, sprinted back and literally bowled over left fielder Kiké Hernández to make the catch. The game went to extras. The Dodgers won it all.
Pages made one of the defining defensive plays in recent postseason history. Clement had to live with that for a year.
But the Blue Jays infielder made sure to clarify that there’s no real bad blood. He praised Pages as a player and a person.
“It’s all love. I have a lot of admiration for the way he plays the game. Pages, just seems like a good dude. He made one of the best plays in postseason history and World Series history given the circumstances. You know, just getting him back a little bit. It felt pretty good,” Clement added.
The AL won the All-Star Game 4-0, and Clement was the top vote-getter among AL players. Only Shohei Ohtani received more total votes. For a guy who plays a utility infield role on a Blue Jays team currently sitting in last place in the AL East with a 45-51 record, the All-Star nod was a bright spot in an otherwise rough season.
The revenge factor was just a bonus. And it came with a smile.
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