Ernie Clement shares emotional letter to fire up fans before Opening Day

Mar 26, 2026 (2:00 PM)

Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Ernie Clement releases a powerful letter to the fans, setting an incredibly inspiring tone for the upcoming championship season.

It is always incredibly moving when a professional athlete pulls back the curtain to show their highly vulnerable side.

Clement (Drafted Round 4, 2017 by Cleveland Indians) just poured his entire heart out in a beautiful piece for The Players' Tribune today.

The veteran utility man detailed his brutal journey of getting repeatedly cut before finally finding a true permanent home here.

We all remember how frustrating it was to watch guys struggle before he stepped up to completely stabilize the infield.

He openly admitted to completely losing his confidence after being designated for assignment multiple times early in his professional career.

Toronto was the only organization willing to promise him consistent everyday at-bats when he was at his absolute lowest mental point.

The infielder rewarded that immense front office faith by becoming a wildly beloved postseason hero for us last fall.

He posted a rock solid .277 AVG with 9 home runs and a .711 OPS over 157 grueling games during the 2025 season.

His relentless hustle perfectly embodies the gritty, never-say-die attitude this modern roster desperately needed to permanently adopt.

We are absolutely buzzing knowing this guy completely embraces the heavy pressure of playing in this incredibly passionate city.

He talked about how fans waiting outside his apartment building completely restored his pure childhood love for the game.

That specific human connection is exactly why we invest so much of our intense emotional energy into this beautiful sport.

Reading about his intense exhaustion during the grueling World Series run only makes us appreciate his immense daily grind even more.

The veteran is confidently stepping into a massive everyday role this season to officially help replace departing veteran stars.

This team possesses an unbreakable clubhouse culture that genuinely elevates fringe players into highly legitimate everyday stars.

The boys are incredibly fired up and fully ready to finally finish the ultimate job they started last October.

Opening Day is officially here and the entire city is ready to explode when he takes the field tomorrow.

We are so lucky to have players who genuinely care about wearing the uniform just as much as we do.

Previously on Blue Jays Insider

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MARS 26\|253 ANSWERS Ernie Clement shares emotional letter to fire up fans before Opening Day Are you incredibly inspired by Ernie Clement's powerful message to the city?
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