Blue Jays gave the NY Mets hope of finally getting an annual roster addition right

A lot went right for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025. They didn’t immediately begin their build after a failed 2024 campaign. Major deals prior and even some small ones helped give them a well-rounded ball club. It’s a process the New York Mets would love to emulate. Headed by David Stearns and backed by Steve Cohen’s money, we know we’re going to get a mix of big expensive free agents and seemingly innocuous roster additions along the way.

In March of 2023, the Blue Jays unknowingly made a rather important addition. Two days after the Athletics released him, Ernie Clement had a new deal with the Blue Jays. He was just 1 for 18 with Oakland (they still played there in 2022) and his minor league numbers were nothing excellent enough to demand they hold on.

A few years later, Clement was front and center in the Blue Jays’ World Series run. He hit .411 in the postseason, including a 12 for 31 performance in the World Series itself. Versatile and gifted as a defender with third base being his most common position, he’s the kind of guy Stearns has been hoping to find in his two years with the Mets.

Don’t expect David Stearns to give up on finding his Ernie Clement for the Mets

In 2024, it was Zack Short whose waiver claim put him in a position to make the Opening Day roster. Short hit .174 in parts of three seasons with the Detroit Tigers. Well-regarded defensively, he was added to the Mets for the defense. Just 1 for 9 and redundant on the roster with no real opportunity to get into games, he ended up sold to the Boston Red Sox. He is in journeyman status and likely to pop up on someone’s big league roster next season when some infield help is needed.

Last year we had Luis De Los Santos. Coincidentally taken off waivers from the Blue Jays, he never actually got into any action in the majors. He batted .242 in Syracuse while playing a mix of second base, third base, and shortstop. He managed to raise his career Triple-A batting average to .235.

Unless Stearns had some sort of awakening, this style of player is bound to join the Mets in some capacity over the winter. A waiver claim with or without option is going to clog up a 40-man roster spot. Sometimes frustrating, Clement’s success story makes it more digestible.

To their credit, the Mets eased off the pedal with this type of move. From handing Short an Opening Day roster spot to stashing De Los Santos in the minor leagues, we have at least seen some understanding that things like this needn’t be forced.

Clement hit .348 in Triple-A over the course of 72 games in 2023 to help put himself on the Blue Jays’ radar as an actual big leaguer. He rewarded them by hitting .380 in his first 52 plate appearances for them. Unsustainable as it is, they’ll gladly take what he dishes out over the course of a full season. One of the best defensive players in baseball and a .276 hitter for Toronto, he’s living proof of what Stearns is trying to accomplish.