Blue Jays fans want Brandon Lowe at second base, and the idea makes more sense than Ernie Clement loyalists might like.

The second-base debate picked up again Thursday. Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer ranked Toronto first among five landing spots for Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Rymer pointed to two ugly numbers. The Jays hit just 152 homers, 30th in MLB, and stole only 75 bases, 27th.

He also liked the rivalry angle, noting Chisholm would get "13 chances every year" to take it to the Yankees. That chip on his shoulder would play in the AL East.

But Lowe is the name fans keep floating on social media. He spent this season with the Pirates after most of his career with the Rays, so Toronto knows him well.

The bat is the draw. Lowe posted a career-high 4.9 fWAR and has hit 30-plus homers in consecutive seasons, per Sportsnet's Nick Ashbourne.

A 135 wRC+ against righties makes the lefty slugger a fit

He's made a career out of mashing right-handed pitching. For a lineup that badly lacked left-handed pop, that platoon edge is the whole pitch.

There are real risks. He's 32, he's dealt with injuries at times, and his defensive numbers have swung wildly in recent seasons.

Chisholm is younger and faster, but he's coming off a .231 season with a 97 OPS+. That's a lot of money to pay for a rebound.

Between the two free agents, Lowe is the smarter buy. A proven power bat on a shorter commitment beats paying for upside and hoping the maturity questions stay quiet.

Clement isn't going anywhere either way. He's still under contract, and a new second baseman would likely push him back into the utility role he handles so well.

He was a Gold Glove nominee as a utility man in 2025. "Clement can play everywhere, after all," Rymer wrote.

The 2026 slide is what opened the door. He got off to an All-Star start, then struggled through a rough second half.

Clement is the Swiss Army knife in a toolbox that needs a sledgehammer. You keep the knife, you just stop asking it to drive nails.

Will Ross Atkins actually spend on a second baseman with outfield and rotation holes still open? That's the real question, and Clement's role next season hangs on the answer.