Ernie Clement is probably going to be fine. That’s the word out of Toronto right now after the Blue Jays held their infielder out of Tuesday’s lineup against Houston with what the team is calling a hip issue.
Manager John Schneider told reporters before the game that the move was precautionary more than anything. “Trying to get ahead of it and give him a breather with quick turnaround today. Didn’t want him to take a step back,” Schneider said. The team also confirmed Clement is available off the bench if needed.
That kind of language usually means the injury isn’t serious. If it were, they’d say something vaguer. The fact that Schneider was specific about wanting to prevent a setback suggests the Blue Jays think a day or two of rest might be all Clement needs.
Clement has quietly turned into a really valuable player this season. The 30-year-old is hitting .293 with a .314 on-base percentage and a .439 slugging percentage. He’s got seven homers and a league-leading 20 doubles. For a guy who wasn’t even a lock to start the season as an everyday player, that production has been a huge lift for a Blue Jays team that’s been hovering around .500 all year.
Toronto is 39-39 right now. That’s not bad, but it’s not good either. It’s just sort of there. The rotation has been uneven, the bullpen has had nights where it looks great and nights where it falls apart, and the lineup has gone cold for stretches. Clement’s consistency has been one of the few things that hasn’t required explanation.
Shane Bieber finally takes the mound
The Clement news wasn’t the only update coming out of Toronto on Tuesday. Shane Bieber is scheduled to make his season debut against the Astros. The former Cy Young winner missed the start of the year with an injury, but he re-signed with the Blue Jays in the offseason specifically for moments like this.
Bieber was acquired by Toronto last season and the front office clearly sees him as a difference-maker for the second half. If he’s anywhere close to the guy who won a Cy Young in Cleveland, that changes the math on this entire rotation. The Blue Jays need him to be that guy. At 39-39, they’re still in striking distance of a playoff spot, but they can’t afford much more mediocrity.
Tuesday’s game is set for 4:07 PM Eastern. Toronto took Game 1 of this series 4-2 on Monday night, so a win Tuesday would clinch the series. That’s the kind of momentum they need heading into July.
As for Clement, the team said it’ll keep monitoring him day to day. More updates when there’s something to update. For now, it sounds like they dodged a bullet.
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