HOUSTON — For the first four rounds of Saturday’s World Baseball Classic gameTeam USA struggled to consistently generate offense while trailing Great Britain 1-0. It seemed an upheaval was brewing, until an unlikely hero intervened.
The catalyst was infielder Ernie Clement, one of only two players in Saturday’s game. United States starting lineup who was never named an MLB All-Star. At the plate with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Clement connected on a two-strike pitch and put it in play. British third baseman Ivan Johnson knocked down first base. Clement hustled and was safe at first, opening the door just wide enough for the Americans to start a rally.
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Clement moved to third base on a Pete Crow-Armstrong double, then scored the tying run for the United States with a courageous base run when he slid home on a wild pitch. The door blew off its hinges.
The United States scored five runs in that inning, taking a lead it never relinquished in a 9-1 victory over Great Britain at Daikin Park.
“To have that little spark, it all started with Ernie there, an intense play to get to first base,” said U.S. home run hitter Kyle Schwarber.
Clement, the Toronto Blue Jays utility man, scored three points and made 1 of 3 in the victory. He made five plate appearances, threw 18 pitches and reached base four times thanks to an error, a single and two walks.
A team’s ceiling is often defined by its depth, and that’s exactly what Team USA manager Mark DeRosa had in mind when he signed Clement as a plug-and-play infielder to join a roster that is an embarrassment of riches.
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“He deserves to be in this room,” DeRosa said. “(I) wanted to have Gunnar (Henderson) and him in the lineup. I felt like coming out of Arizona, I felt like everyone deserved to start. And I wanted to get these guys rolling, and they deserve it.”
Saturday night’s gutsy performance further underscored the dramatic transformation of Clement’s career — from underproductive fringe player at risk of bowing out of the majors to heroic playoff player and Team USA contributor.
After a miserable 2022 season in which he hit .184 in 69 games, Clement wasn’t even considered for Team USA for the 2023 WBC. In fact, during the tournament he was released by the A’s and two days later signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays.
“If you told me back then that I would do that, I would be pretty surprised,” Clement said. “But I always believed in myself and I always worked, and it’s nice to see that rewarded.”
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Clément’s CV looks a lot different these days. He made his WBC debut after a record 30-hit streak for the 2025 American League champion Blue Jays, a season in which he was also nominated for Gold Glove Awards at third base and utility.
And yet, on paper, Clement wasn’t the biggest threat on an American team filled with league MVPs, Gold Glovers and Cy Youngs.
“You’re kind of wondering which All-Star will be in the lineup? » said British coach Brad Marcelino before Saturday’s match.
The United States fielded seven All-Stars. The two exceptions were outfielder Roman Anthony, the former top prospect who made his big league debut in 2025, and Clement, the veteran two weeks shy of his 30th birthday.
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Saturday was Clement’s first start in the WBC. He entered the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning and did not play in the United States’ opening win over Brazil on Friday. Against Great Britain, he started at second base and batted eighth in the lineout.
United States designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) congratulates second baseman Ernie Clement (5) after scoring a run against Great Britain during the fifth inning at Daikin Park.
After failing his first attempt, Clement took advantage of Great Britain’s throwing error.
“I try to get by as much as I can,” he said. “I saw the first baseman jump and as soon as I see that I usually try to slide, but it was so bang-bang. I had already made my decision.”
He was just as aggressive, sliding headfirst to score on Andre Scrubb’s wild pitch in the same inning. In the top of the sixth, Clement lined a two-strike slider into left field for a single and then came home on Alex Bregman’s sacrifice fly. In the seventh inning, after reaching base with a walk, he scored again on another Bregman sacrifice fly – the final run of the game.
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The U.S. team, and particularly club leaders Schwarber and captain Aaron Judge, attempted to create camaraderie without hierarchy. The goal is to ease the burden felt by the most experienced (and accomplished) players on the team while empowering everyone else.
“We don’t want to feel like anyone has to do something extraordinary because this is a roster of extraordinary people, a bullpen and a starting lineup of extraordinary people,” Schwarber said. “We play for our country and for our team and that’s all that matters to us.”
Clement’s experience as a utility player who, during his MLB career, played seven different positions – including four games as a pitcher, allowing six earned runs in four innings – required him to be prepared for a variety of scenarios.
“I just go in with an open mind and ready for anything, because in these kinds of tournaments, really anything can happen,” Clement said.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Ernie Clement, unlikely WBC hero for USA against Great Britain
