Ernie Clement announced quite the new off-field news Thursday by landing a new ambassador role with WestJet.
That is the career news Athlon Sports highlighted, with Clement officially partnering with the airline as a player ambassador. WestJet is already the Blue Jays' official airline, so the fit is easy to see.
This is not some random sponsorship drop. WestJet said Clement's role will include fan experiences, social storytelling, and special campaigns aimed at celebrating Blue Jays fans across Canada.
That part matters because Clement has quietly become one of the club's easiest players to market. He is popular in the room, popular with fans, and the kind of player whose style translates well beyond the lineup card.
His rise in Toronto has not been small. Athlon noted Clement arrived before the 2023 season on a minor league deal after failed runs with Cleveland and Oakland, then rebuilt himself into one of the Blue Jays' most useful players.
That makes this partnership feel earned more than flashy. Clement has gone from roster depth to real value, and now the club's airline partner is betting that fans connect with him the same way the team already does.
On the field, he has backed it up again in 2026. Clement is hitting .281 with a .695 OPS, 13 doubles, and 9 RBIs, while Athlon also described him as one of Toronto's best defensive players because of the flexibility he gives Schneider around the diamond.
Clement's off-field boost comes at a useful time
The timing stands out because the Blue Jays need something positive around the club. Toronto has dropped 4 straight and entered Thursday tied with the Boston Red Sox for last place in the AL East.
So while this is not a roster move or an injury update, it still adds a little lift around a player who has become part of the team's everyday identity. That counts when the club is trying to steady itself.
Clement's appeal also goes beyond this season alone. Athlon pointed back to last year's postseason, when he set an MLB record with 30 hits during Toronto's run to the World Series. That kind of October résumé changes how fans see a player.
It is also why WestJet likely chose him. Clement is not just productive. He is recognizable, energetic, and tied to one of the biggest stretches of baseball this franchise has had in years.
Now he has a larger profile off the field to match what he has built on it. The Blue Jays still need wins, and Clement still needs to keep producing, but this new role shows how far he has come since arriving on a minor league deal.
For Toronto, that is a strong story in itself. Ernie Clement did not just revive his career with the Blue Jays. He has grown into the kind of player a national partner now wants representing the brand.
Has Ernie Clement become one of the Blue Jays' most important fan favorites?
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