Ernie Clement Giveaway Drew Lines More Than Five Hours Early
Ernie Clement’s replica jersey giveaway night at Rogers Centre drew fans more than five hours before the first pitch, and the Blue Jays opened the gates 15 minutes early to get them inside. The promotion centered on the Toronto infielder for the first time in his career, with 15,000 jerseys reserved for Monday night.
Clement’s No. 22 Draws Crowds
Lines started building well before the 7:07 p.m. ET first pitch, turning a single-player giveaway into one of the most crowded promotional nights at the ballpark this season. The first 15,000 fans were set to receive the jerseys, and they went out faster than any promotional item the Blue Jays have distributed this year.
Clement said the night meant more because his teammates wore his No. 22 hockey sweater before batting practice. “It means a lot to see all the boys rocking the jersey and getting into the hockey spirit,” he said minutes later while sitting inside the Blue Jays’ dugout. He also said he “never thought I’d have one.”
Blue Jays Fans Back Clement
John Schneider said Clement gets a loud response every day when his name is announced, and the manager tied that reception to the way he plays. “He gets a very loud ovation every day when they announce his name and he’s earned it,” Schneider said. “I think the way he plays is very relatable to a lot of people. He just plays hard.”
The demand matched the numbers Clement has put up on the field. He entered Monday’s 5-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox with 13 doubles, tied for first in MLB, and 36 hits, tied for third in MLB. He also finished the 2025 postseason with a record-setting 30 hits, after the Athletics released him ahead of the 2023 season and he signed with the Blue Jays in 2023.
Popkins Sees Elite Confidence
Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins said Clement’s confidence has been obvious to anyone watching him now. “His confidence and the belief in himself,” Popkins said, before adding, “The way he walks, the way he works, everything is showing elite confidence and when he’s confident, he’s a very tough guy to get out.” Popkins also said the playoffs “probably revealed it a little more and confirmed it for him of how good he really is,” and summed up Clement’s response as, “Ah, see I told you so.”
For the Blue Jays, Monday’s giveaway ended with a simple answer: a player-specific promotion can still stop people at the gate when the player has become central to the club’s identity. Clement’s jersey night did that at Rogers Centre, and the crowd that waited more than five hours got inside early to collect it.
