Should Blue Jays fans be worried about Ernie Clement hip injury?

Ernie Clement missed another start, but John Schneider made the Blue Jays' read on it sound more like frustration than danger.

Schneider said Clement was available off the bench and that Toronto is hopeful he can start tomorrow. That is not the language of a player headed for a longer shutdown.

The line that stood out most was Schneider saying Clement was “probably pissed off he's not playing,” which is exactly how a manager talks about a regular who still wants in the lineup card right now.

So, should fans be worried? A little attention is fair because Clement has now missed multiple games with left hip soreness, but the temperature is still nowhere near panic.

That's because Toronto did not rule him out completely. Clement got into Wednesday's game for 1 at-bat off the bench, which backs up Schneider's point that this is a day-to-day situation.

And the Blue Jays can't really afford for this to drag. Clement has become one of their steadiest everyday pieces, not just a fill-in infielder bouncing around the diamond.

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Why Ernie Clement's status matters

Clement is hitting .292 this season, which ranks 5th in the American League. When a bat like that comes out of the lineup, even for a couple of days, it changes the way Toronto looks.

He also has 86 hits, 4th most in the AL, so this is not some bottom-of-the-roster absence fans can shrug off. He has been part of the club's offensive floor all year.

The extra-base contact matters, too. Clement's 20 doubles lead the league, giving Toronto a hitter who keeps pressure on defenses even when he is not leaving the yard.

That is why Schneider's tone was important. He did not sound like a manager bracing for an injured list move. He sounded like a manager holding back a player who thinks he should already be back out there.

Toronto also heads into Thursday at 39-41, 9.5 games behind the Yankees and 5 games out in the Wild Card race. In that spot, every missing regular carries more weight.

Still, the better read here is caution, not fear. A hip issue for an infielder is worth watching, but bench availability plus hope for a next-day start usually points to a short pause, not a bigger setback.

If Clement is still out again after that, then the concern changes fast. For now, Blue Jays fans can be irritated by the timing without assuming something worse is coming.