Cleveland Sports Forum

Former Guardians stars Shane Bieber, Josh Naylor, and Ernie Clement ahead of Game 7 showdown

Updated: Oct. 20, 2025, 3:09 p.m.|Published: Oct. 20, 2025, 3:08 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The defining Game 7 matchup between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners offers plenty of drama for neutral baseball fans. For Cleveland supporters, however, it is about to deliver something else entirely – a painful glimpse at what might have been.

As the ALCS reaches its climax, former Guardians populate both dugouts in crucial roles, turning what could be an exciting elimination game into a bittersweet experience for Cleveland fans watching familiar faces chase a World Series berth in different uniforms.

“This time around, the Guardians fans will have a little bit more of a rooting interest with Shane Bieber on the mound,” noted Joe Noga, cleveland.com Guardians beat reporter, highlighting the awkward position Cleveland fans find themselves in – rooting for beloved former players they no longer get to claim as their own.

The star-studded list of ex-Guardians making an impact in the ALCS is remarkable. Shane Bieber, the former Cleveland ace who was traded mid-season, takes the mound for Toronto in a decisive Game 7. Josh Naylor, once a fan favorite for the Guardians, continued his playoff power surge for the Mariners.

“Naylor hit a home run Friday. He’s having a great series,” observed Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com’s veteran Guardians beat reporter. “And Ernie Clement just doesn’t stop hitting.”

The contributions didn’t stop there. Andrés Giménez, Myles Straw, and even former Cleveland farmhand Nathan Lukes have made their presence felt throughout the series for Toronto. Lukes, who never reached the majors with Cleveland before being traded to Tampa Bay for Brandon Guyer, has hit an impressive .343 in the ALCS.

What makes the situation particularly poignant is the collective impact these former Cleveland players have made on baseball’s biggest stage – the kind of impact Guardians fans hoped they might make while wearing Cleveland uniforms.

“Cleveland has been well represented in this ALCS,” Hoynes noted, before Noga delivered the painful follow-up: “Just not representing Cleveland. And that’s sort of the problem.”

The Shane Bieber situation exemplifies the complicated emotions. When Bieber began his injury rehabilitation earlier this season, few could have imagined he’d be starting Game 7 of the ALCS for another organization. While Cleveland received promising young pitcher Khal Stephen in return, watching Bieber potentially pitch Toronto into the World Series undoubtedly stirs mixed feelings.

For a franchise that has consistently developed elite talent only to see much of it flourish elsewhere due to financial constraints or organizational decisions, the 2025 ALCS serves as yet another reminder of baseball’s harsh economic realities. The Guardians have mastered the art of identifying and developing talent, but keeping that talent together long enough to achieve postseason glory has proven more challenging.

As Cleveland fans watch Bieber, Naylor, Clement and others chase a pennant, they can’t help but wonder: What if these players were still wearing Guardians uniforms? Could Cleveland have been the team battling in October instead of watching former stars do so for other organizations?

The question lingers uncomfortably, even as Cleveland continues its cycle of developing the next wave of talent that may someday star in someone else’s playoff run.

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Ernie Clement #22 of the Toronto Blue Jays hits Josh Naylor #12 of the Seattle Mariners with a throw attempting to turn a double play during the first inning in game seven of the American League Championship Series at the Rogers Centre on October 20, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario.


The fiery history between Josh Naylor and Ernie Clement that turned ALCS Game 7 into a personal battleground

Published: Oct. 21, 2025, 1:20 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Game 7 of the American League Championship Series delivered plenty of drama, but perhaps no moment captured the intensity better than the controversial interference play involving former Cleveland teammates Josh Naylor and Ernie Clement. In a pivotal early moment of the game that had Blue Jays pitcher Shane Bieber visibly fuming, Naylor appeared to intentionally place himself in the path of Clement’s throw, creating a rare interference double play that left fans and commentators buzzing.

The play wasn’t just another postseason moment – it was the latest chapter in what has become an unexpected rivalry between two players whose careers have been mysteriously intertwined through both cooperation and confrontation.

“It looked like Naylor was on a pogo stick. He jumped right back up on purpose. It was clearly intentional,” observed Paul Hoynes during the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast. “You’ve got to give Naylor good grades for gamesmanship, but that was too obvious.”

The intentional nature of the play was impossible to miss on replay, as Naylor appeared to jump directly into the path of Clement’s throw. Umpires quickly convened and ruled it interference, resulting in a critical first-inning double play. As Bieber walked off the mound, television cameras caught him barking in Naylor’s direction.

But this wasn’t the first confrontation between former teammates in the series. Earlier, Naylor had executed an aggressive slide into third base with Clement taking the brunt of the contact as he sort of barrel rolled into him.

This type of aggressive baserunning has become Naylor’s signature – a playing style that Joe Noga described as running “the bases like a madman.”

What makes this rivalry particularly fascinating is the shared history between the two players. As Hoynes explained, “These guys are connected at the hip. Let’s go back to 2021 at Target Field, when Clement was playing second base and Naylor was playing right field for Cleveland.

“They had an awful collision, one of the worst collisions I’ve seen. And Naylor fractured his right ankle and missed the rest of the season. They’ve been running into each other ever since, I guess.”

That traumatic collision, which resulted in Naylor being carted off the field after suffering a serious ankle injury that required extensive rehabilitation, seems to have created an unusual connection between the two players. Now facing each other as opponents, their on-field encounters carry an extra layer of intensity that casual observers might miss.

For Clement, having Naylor – who Hoynes describes as “no small dude” – barreling toward him on the basepaths likely triggers memories of their devastating collision.

“You make the throw like you’ve made a thousand times at second base. And normally that baserunner knows, get down, go into a slide because the throw’s coming right at your head. And you throw it anyways and all of a sudden you’ve hit Naylor,” Noga mused about what must have been going through Clement’s mind.

Hoynes put it more bluntly: “You just want Josh to be headed back to the dugout. You don’t want him coming after you or then you’ve got to start backpedaling awfully fast.”

What started as a painful chapter for two teammates has evolved into one of baseball’s most unexpected rivalries – one that added dramatic tension to an already thrilling ALCS. As the Blue Jays advance to the World Series, baseball fans now understand that when Naylor and Clement share the field, fireworks are practically guaranteed.

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The Ex-Cleveland Effect: Why Guardians fans can’t help but feel invested in Toronto’s World Series run

Published: Oct. 21, 2025, 1:16 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — As George Springer’s three-run homer sailed into the Toronto night, sending the Rogers Centre into absolute pandemonium and the Blue Jays to their first World Series in 32 years, Cleveland fans could be forgiven for experiencing a complex wave of emotions. The Blue Jays’ American League Championship Series victory wasn’t just another playoff series – it was a showcase for numerous former Guardians players who have found success north of the border.

“It just felt good for Cleveland North, there’s so many former Guardians on that team that you really had to be pulling for the Blue Jays,” said Paul Hoynes on the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast. “Ernie Clement had a great series. Andrés Giménez, Shane Bieber started the game. Nathan Lukes, who I had really had kind of forgotten about, he had a great series hit .333.”

The nickname “Cleveland North” couldn’t be more appropriate. Beyond the players on the field, the Blue Jays’ success has deep organizational roots in northeast Ohio. Joe Noga highlighted this connection: “And I realized that the connections to Cleveland go pretty deep there as Mark Shapiro, the former front office executive and Ross Atkins as well, with Cleveland and an architect of a lot of the success that Cleveland has had throughout the years. So now they’ve also found that same success in Toronto.”

Shapiro and Atkins, who helped put together many successful Cleveland teams, have now constructed a World Series contender in Toronto using a similar blueprint. During the trophy celebration, the camera caught Shapiro beaming with pride, having achieved a similar degree of success with Toronto that he experienced during his tenure in Cleveland.

The Game 7 victory perfectly encapsulated how former Guardians played pivotal roles in Toronto’s success. Shane Bieber, acquired mid-season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, took the ball in the most critical game of his life. Though he showed more emotion than Cleveland fans were accustomed to seeing – “barking at an umpire” according to Hoynes – his presence in such a crucial moment validated Toronto’s decision to trade for him.

Perhaps no moment better symbolized the “Cleveland North” phenomenon than Giménez’s perfect eighth-inning bunt that helped set the stage for Springer’s series-winning home run. Noga observed the irony of the situation: “How many times have we seen Andrés Giménez not be able to execute that exact bunt in that exact situation for Cleveland? Here he gets it done in Game 7 in the ALCS... this time you knew it was coming and he got it down and he executed it like he needed to.”

Hoynes agreed: “He’s still got some Guards Ball left in him. That transferred in that inning. How many times were we sitting in the press box at Progressive Field and he dropped down a bunt in the third inning or some crazy inning early in the game and we’re sitting there thinking, what is he doing?”

For Guardians fans, watching the celebration creates a strange mix of vicarious joy and wistful what-ifs. These are players they once cheered for, now achieving baseball’s ultimate goal while wearing different uniforms. The success of “Cleveland North” serves as both validation of the Guardians’ player development system and a pointed reminder of opportunities missed.

As the World Series approaches, Cleveland fans find themselves in an unusual position – without a direct rooting interest, yet emotionally invested in the success of former members of the organization. The Blue Jays’ run to the Fall Classic isn’t just Toronto’s story; it’s a chapter of Cleveland baseball playing out on a different stage, with many of the same characters finally getting their chance at a championship ending.

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Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason

By Darragh McDonald MLBTR | October 10, 2025 at 11:59pm CDT

Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami is going to be posted by the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. It has long been expected that this would be the case, as it was reported three years ago that the plan was for Murakami to make the MLB move after 2025, but this report confirms that Murakami will be a key free agent to watch this winter.

The timing of the posting is not a coincidence. Under major league baseball’s international free agency rules, a player is considered an “amateur” if he is under the age of 25. These “amateur” players are subject to the international bonus pool system, wherein teams are hard-capped by annual budgets of roughly $4MM to $9MM. This was the case when Roki Sasaki was posted prior to his age-23 season. He eventually signed with the Dodgers and received a $6.5MM signing bonus, far less than he would have received with more open bidding. He is also treated like a minor leaguer, in that he will be making around the league minimum until he qualifies for arbitration and will be under club control until he accrues six years of big league service time.

Murakami won’t be in the same situation as Sasaki. He turned 25 in February will therefore be considered a professional under the current rules. Once he is officially posted, he will be free to negotiate with all 30 clubs for a period of 45 days and will have no restrictions on the kinds of offers he can receive. This situation is more analogous to that of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who also signed with the Dodgers. His 12-year, $325MM deal was in a far different stratosphere compared to Sasaki.

Sasaki was eager enough to come to Major League Baseball that he came young, despite the clearly lesser earning power with that path. Murakami has understandably waited until after his 25th birthday and should be in line for a nice payday.

What remains to be seen is exactly how strong his market will be. In his NPB career, he has shown massive power potential but also real strikeout concerns. He has generally been good for 30 to 40 homers per year, though he had a massive 56-homer season in 2022. This year, he missed a large chunk of the season due to an oblique injury and only got into 56 games, but he managed to launch 22 balls over the fence in that small sample.

He was also punched out 64 times in 224 plate appearances this year, a rate of 28.6%. He had that down to 20.6% during his amazing 2022 season but he’s been above 28% for three straight years now. Overall, he has hit .270/.394/.557 in his NPB career. Since MLB pitching features greater velocity and generally higher quality than NPB pitching, it’s possible his strikeout rate would increase with the move. For reference, the MLB average was 22.2% this year and there were only nine qualified hitters above 28%.

Murakami has primarily been a third baseman during his time with the Swallows. He has also dabbled at first base and even got a brief look in left field this year. Scouting reports have generally pegged him as a middling fielder who will likely end up at first base in the long run.

That will put more pressure on his bat but some clubs may be more comfortable with him playing third base for a few years. Teams will also have varying opinions about how he will be able to adapt to MLB pitching.

For players coming over from Japan, there have been all sorts of different results. As mentioned, Yamamoto had so much strong interest that he was able to secure a 12-year pact with opt-outs. Shota Imanaga got a creative four-year guarantee with a multi-year club option and player option structure after two seasons. Seiya Suzuki and Masataka Yoshida got straight five-year deals worth $85MM and $90MM respectively. Both of those hitters had better NPB batting averages than Murakami but without the same power ceiling.

Since the Dodgers have landed many Japanese stars, many fans expect that to be the outcome here. However, it’s not a perfect roster fit. The Dodgers have Freddie Freeman at first base and Shohei Ohtani in the designated hitter spot. They have an affordable $10MM club option to keep Max Muncy around as their third baseman next year. Signing Murakami can’t be totally ruled out but it may require them to move on from Muncy, who has been a cornerstone of the club for years and is still putting up good numbers, or perhaps try Murakami as an outfielder. Even if Muncy’s option is picked up, he’s slated for free agency after 2026, with Freeman only signed through 2027, so the long-term fit is better than in the short term.

The Red Sox would be a cleaner fit now, since Alex Bregman is likely to opt out of his deal and the club has questions at first base. The Mets have first base open with Pete Alonso set to opt out and they don’t have a clear answer at third base either. The Yankees could put him at first base, with Paul Goldschmidt becoming a free agent and Ben Rice capable of catching. The Cubs have Matt Shaw at third but almost signed Bregman last winter, so perhaps they are still willing to go after an external option there. The Tigers currently have Zach McKinstry at third but he’s capable of playing elsewhere. The Angels don’t have a long-term third base solution due to the ongoing injuries of Anthony Rendon. The Mariners are about to lose Eugenio Suárez to free agency. The Reds don’t have a definite answer at first base.

Over time, his market will become more clear. Whichever club signs him will also owe a posting fee to the Swallows. The posting fee is calculated as 20% of the contract’s first $25MM, 17.5% of the next $25MM, and 15% of spending above $50MM.

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Myles Straw leads Blue Jays into World Series. Well at least he played a role
Giminez hit well for the first week of the season; for a few days after he came off the IL; and for the AL championship series. Better late than never
Don't think there was much weeping when we traded Ernie Clement, little did we know.
Nathan Lukes was dealt when he was a very modest prospect in Class A. You never know who may make it; Brewers would say the same about David Fry.

Shane Bieber delivers in the biggest game of his life as ex-Guardians dominate World Series Game 4 win for Toronto

Updated: Oct. 29, 2025, 3:00 p.m.|Published: Oct. 29, 2025, 12:18 p.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — For Guardians fans, watching the World Series has become an exercise in bittersweet nostalgia as former Cleveland players take center stage for the Toronto Blue Jays. None shone brighter in Game 4 than Shane Bieber, who delivered a clutch performance to even the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast hosts Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga broke down the surreal experience of watching so many former Guardians excel on baseball’s biggest stage.

“He called it after the game, the biggest game of his life,” Hoynes reported of Bieber’s pivotal start. “He goes 5 1/3 innings, one run, four hits, three walks, three K’s as the Blue Jays even the series with a 6-2 win.”

The significance of Bieber’s performance wasn’t lost on either host. Traded at this year’s deadline while still rehabilitating from injury, Bieber has now become a postseason hero for Toronto, making his third playoff start in this championship run.

But Bieber isn’t the only former Guardian making an impact. Andres Gimenez delivered a key RBI single, driving in another ex-Cleveland player, Ernie Clement, who had doubled earlier in the inning.

“Clement has been on fire. Two more hits,” Hoynes noted, highlighting the contributions from Cleveland’s former utility infielder.

The Blue Jays’ comeback win — they trailed 1-0 before Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s two-run homer put them ahead — exemplified the resilience that has characterized Toronto’s season. “The Blue Jays have come back 49 times for victories this season. The most in the big leagues,” Hoynes explained.

What makes this World Series particularly fascinating for Cleveland fans is the sheer number of former Guardians on Toronto’s roster, earning them the nickname “Cleveland North.” The Blue Jays’ roster is so heavily populated with Cleveland-developed talent that Hoynes offered this advice to Guardians fans: “If you’re a Guardians fan, you can’t miss a game because half the team after Toronto’s team is from Cleveland, or grew up in Cleveland’s organization.”

This phenomenon creates a complicated emotional experience for Cleveland fans. On one hand, it’s gratifying to see players developed in the Guardians system succeed at the highest level. On the other, it raises difficult questions about what might have been if Cleveland had managed to keep these players together.

Bieber’s dominance is particularly poignant, as he struck out Shohei Ohtani twice during his outing. For a pitcher who was uncertain to pitch at all this season following injury, his World Series performance represents an incredible comeback story.

The series, now tied 2-2, has guaranteed games will return to Toronto, making this the first MLB season to both begin and end outside the United States —starting with the Dodgers-Padres series in Japan and now finishing in Canada.

For the complete breakdown of Game 4 and more analysis of former Guardians in the World Series, tune in to the latest episode of the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast, where Hoynes and Noga provide insider perspectives you won’t find anywhere else.

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It's been a nice Series for the Guardians North Branch

Former Guardians coach hired as Twins manager

Updated: Oct. 30, 2025, 2:14 p.m.|Published: Oct. 30, 2025, 1:23 p.m.

By Zach Mentz, cleveland.com
The Minnesota Twins have hired former Cleveland Guardians hitting coach Derek Shelton as the team’s next manager, the organization announced Thursday.

Shelton, 55, replaces former Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who was fired in September after seven seasons as manager, including a 70-92 record this past season.

Shelton joins the Twins months after he was fired as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ manager in May. He spent five-plus seasons as Pirates manager from 2020-25, compiling a 306-440 record.

Prior to Pittsburgh, Shelton served as a bench coach for the Twins from 2018-19. He also served as a quality control coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017, and as hitting coach for the Tampa Bay Rays (2010-16) and then-Cleveland Indians (2005-09). He also served as minor league hitting coordinator for Cleveland from 2003-05.

“Derek brings a tremendous amount of experience from his many years coaching and managing at the Major League level,” Twins president of baseball & business operations Derek Falvey said in a news release. “He cares deeply about this community and our fans, and he’s genuinely driven to take on the challenge of bringing winning baseball back to Minnesota. We’ve seen firsthand the trust and respect he earns from players and how he helps them reach their best.

“His journey, through both the successes and the tough stretches, has given him real perspective as a leader. That balance and his connection to what this place means to people will serve our players and staff well as we work to build something lasting for our fans and for Minnesota,” he added.

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Under the radar no more: How Clement became Blue Jays' cult hero

October 28th, 2025

LOS ANGELES -- Ernie Clement has become baseball’s newest curiosity, a cult hero in Canada who the rest of the league is finally waking up to.

Is there an American player who’s better suited to play for Canada’s team? Toronto is the city that celebrated players like John McDonald, Kevin Pillar and Ryan Goins, those “gritty” role players who played great defense and left each game with a dirty uniform. That was enough. Now, Blue Jays fans have found another, but this one can hit … and he has a hockey stick poking out of his locker where the spare bats are supposed to go.

Throughout the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series, chants of “Ernie! Ernie! Ernie!” have filled Rogers Centre and confused visiting media, who look from side to side wondering. No, they’re not chanting “Vladdy.”

“It’s crazy. When you look up at the lineup, Vlad has the headlines and the hardware, but Ernie’s got the same batting average,” manager John Schneider said. “It’s been remarkable. He’s playing his game. He’s done a phenomenal job of taking the emotion out of it, but you still saw it after Game 7 [of the ALCS]. He cares. He cares a lot.”

After the Blue Jays' 6-5, 18-inning loss to the Dodgers in Game 3 on Monday night, Clement is batting .386 through 14 games this postseason, a contact machine who has struck out just three times. He’s transformed this lineup, creating a second wave of chaos and offense behind the big boys up top. It’s possible the Blue Jays ask even more from Clement now, too, with the potential of George Springer (right side discomfort) missing time. If that’s the case, Clement would be in consideration to bat leadoff in the right matchups.






What a journey for Clement. When the Blue Jays signed Clement to a Minor League deal in 2023, the move came late in Spring Training after he’d been let go by the A’s … who weren’t exactly building a super team. This came after six years with Cleveland, which selected Clement in the fourth round of the 2017 Draft, but he was never a priority player in that system, never the hot young prospect pushing his way up the ladder.

Clement means so much to the Blue Jays and their fans because all of this means so much to him. It’s personal.

“For an organization to give me the opportunity that they have over the last three years, it means the world to me,” Clement said. “The least I could do is play really well in the postseason and help them get a championship. I just really appreciate these guys. They’re amazing human beings. I’m just trying to repay them a little bit.”

There’s an easy swagger to Clement, too, so loose and easy. He can be the biggest goofball in the clubhouse or stone-cold serious.

“My favorite thing about Ernie Clement, besides his baseball skills, is that he just doesn’t give a [damn],” Schneider said. “Any situation, he’s ready to play. He’s got a mentality that I think guys feed off, like with what he said after Game 5 in Seattle.”

After that Game 5 loss -- the heartbreaker where Eugenio Suárez launched a grand slam to break it open -- Clement leaned back in his locker while he was asked how he felt about this team. He explained, in the same tone you might use to order breakfast, that he loved where it was at. The Blue Jays had a chance, Clement said, shrugging his shoulders. He said that was all they needed.

He was right.

“He’s just fearless, and I love it,” Schneider said. “That’s just his mentality. He’s blue collar. He sticks his nose in there and gets the job done.”

There’s that hockey talk again. Even the name feels like hockey, the first “Ernie” in the big leagues since Ernie Young in ‘04 with Cleveland.

When you start hitting like Clement has, though, you’re no longer just passing curiosity, no longer just a fan favorite who bats .195 but makes a few plays. Clement is nominated for Gold Glove Awards at both third base and the utility position this season and was worth 3.2 wins above replacement (per FanGraphs). He’s not a role player, he’s one of the biggest reasons the Blue Jays are in the World Series.

He doesn’t care about the attention, though. He’ll shrug his shoulders again with that wry smile. Whatever.

“I think it's great,” Clement said prior to Game 3. “I've been overlooked a lot over the course of my career, so that's nothing new there. So I don't mind that one bit. When you fly under the radar and you play really, really well, people start to pick up on it. But yeah, I would rather be under the radar. I think it's great and I'm used to it.”

There’s no hiding any more, though. His name is being chanted in the World Series, the old Minor League depth guy being showered with “Ernie! Ernie! Ernie!”

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Every player’s lifeline: How Shane Bieber’s Guardians connections quietly power his World Series run

Updated: Oct. 31, 2025, 2:28 p.m.|Published: Oct. 31, 2025, 1:48 p.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio —When Shane Bieber takes the mound for the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series, he’s showcasing skills refined over years with Cleveland. But the most recent episode of the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast explored a fascinating question that’s rarely discussed: what happens to the professional relationships that helped a player recover from injury after they’re traded?

In the latest episode, hosts Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes dive into this intriguing aspect of baseball’s human element when discussing whether Bieber still communicates with the Guardians’ training staff who guided his lengthy rehab process before being shipped to Toronto.

“From what I heard, the relationship between the Blue Jays trainers and the Guardians trainers is really solid,” Hoynes explains. “I don’t think there would be any trouble if Bieber wanted to talk to one of his old trainers in Cleveland... the training staffs, I think would definitely communicate what to do, what Bieber wanted or any questions that Bieber had.”

This revelation highlights the often-overlooked connections that survive beyond trades. Bieber spent almost his entire 2025 season rehabilitating with Cleveland’s medical team before being traded just as he was ready to return to major league action. Now he’s 2-0 in the postseason and pitching in the biggest games of his career.

As Noga points out, “He wouldn’t be doing that without the help of the training staff that the Guardians put together to help him get there.”

The podcast conversation opens up fascinating questions about loyalty in professional sports. While players change uniforms in an instant, the bonds formed during months of rehabilitation — the daily grind of recovery, the small victories, the setbacks — create relationships that transcend team boundaries. Medical staffs invest countless hours in players’ health and careers, building trust that doesn’t simply evaporate when a trade happens.

This aspect of baseball rarely makes headlines but represents the genuine human connections that exist within the business of sports. The podcast conversation reminds listeners that behind every traded player is a complex web of relationships with coaches, trainers, and medical staff who may have played crucial roles in their career trajectory.

For players working through injuries, these relationships become particularly meaningful. The countless hours spent together during rehabilitation create bonds that can last well beyond a player’s tenure with a team.

Next time you watch Bieber dominate in a postseason game for Toronto, remember the unseen Cleveland connections that helped make his comeback possible. It’s a reminder that in baseball, as in life, our success often depends on those who helped us when we needed it most.

Want to hear more about this fascinating aspect of baseball and other insider Guardians talk? Tune into the full episode of the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast for more insights from Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes on this and other compelling topics around the team.

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Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement sets MLB record with 30 hits in one postseason

[ Ernie Clement set a new MLB record with 30 hits in a single postseason during the 2025 World Series, which ended in a loss for the Toronto Blue Jays. He broke the previous record of 29 hits, which was set by Randy Arozarena in 2020. The previous record holder for a single-season postseason record was Randy Arozarena, who had 29 hits in 2020.

Ernie Clement: Recorded 30 hits during the 2025 postseason.

Previous Record: Randy Arozarena held the previous record with 29 hits in the 2020 postseason.

World Series Performance: Clement set the record in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.

Team Result: Despite Clement's historic performance, the Toronto Blue Jays lost the World Series. ]

TORONTO (AP) — With three hits in Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday night, Toronto Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement set a major league record with 30 hits in one postseason.

Clement broke the mark previously held by Randy Arozarena, who had 29 hits as a rookie with the Tampa Bay Rays during the 2020 postseason.

Tampa Bay played 20 games in four playoff rounds that year following a pandemic-shortened regular season. Toronto played 18 games in three playoff rounds this season.

Both teams lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Clement singled in the second inning of Game 7, singled and scored in the sixth and broke the postseason record with a leadoff double in the eighth that chased Dodgers reliever Emmet Sheehan.

Clement also extended his hitting streak to 13 games, a Blue Jays postseason record. Toronto catcher Pat Borders had a 12-game hitting streak in 1992, when he was the World Series MVP against Atlanta.

Playing in his first postseason, Clement batted .411 (30 for 73) with one home run and nine RBIs. He finished 3 for 5 in Game 7 of the Series, but the Blue Jays lost 5-4 in 11 innings.

Clement nearly won the title for Toronto in the bottom of the ninth, but his long drive to left-center was caught on the warning track with the bases loaded, sending the game to extra innings with the score tied at 4.

“I’ve been crying for like probably for an hour,” Clement said long after the final out. “I thought I was done with the tears.”

Clement was drafted by Cleveland in 2017 but designated for assignment in September 2022. He was claimed by the Athletics later that month but released the following spring before signing a minor league deal with Toronto.

He played in a career-high 157 games during the 2025 regular season, appearing at all four infield positions. He hit .277 with nine home runs and 50 RBIs.

Clement set career highs with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs for the Blue Jays in 2024.

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‘Going to sting for a while’: Blue Jays’ Bieber on losing World Series

0:40 | November 2, 2025


Shane Bieber spoke to the media after losing the World Series about what was said in the room, his thoughts on the group and how he feels after losing.

“Hung a slider to a great guy who hits sliders well,” Bieber said. “He was looking for it. I didn’t execute. This one stings. It’s going to sting for a while. This game is not for the faint of heart.”

The Toronto Blue Jays have reflected on their agonizing loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.

The Blue Jays looked set to win their first World Series since 1993 when they entered the ninth inning with a 4-3 lead. But with one out, and Toronto’s Jeff Hoffman facing the Dodgers’ No 9 hitter, Miguel Rojas, the reliever threw a hanging slider which Rojas launched for the tying home run. Will Smith then hit the winning home run in the 11th inning off Shane Bieber, the first time the Dodgers had led all night.

“It sucks,” Hoffman said after the 5-4 defeat. “Supposed to end differently. Was just one pitch. I cost everybody here a World Series ring. It feels pretty shitty.”

Bieber had his own regrets. “Hung a slider to a great guy who hits sliders well,” Bieber said. “He was looking for it. I didn’t execute. This one stings. It’s going to sting for a while. This game is not for the faint of heart.”

The Blue Jays had plenty of chances to win their first title in 32 years. They had led the best-of-seven series 3-2 before losing the final two games in their own stadium. They also had the bases loaded in the ninth inning on Saturday night but could not find the decisive hit. Ernie Clement, who set an MLB record with 30 hits this postseason, said he was in tears for an hour after the game. He added he did not blame any of his teammates, despite the team holding a 3-0 lead after the third inning.

“We gave it everything we had,” Clement said. “When you fall short but you can say you left it all out there, there’s something to be proud of there. I would go to war with Jeff Hoffman every day of the week. I want him on the mound. I want Bieber on the mound. Ninety-nine times out of 100 those guys get the job done. Obviously, it just wasn’t our night.”

However, future hall of famer Max Scherzer, Toronto’s starting pitcher for Game 7, reflected on how far the team had come after finishing last in the AL East in 2024.

“I’m 41 years old and I never thought I could love baseball this much,” Scherzer said as he wiped away tears. “My love for the game was so strong because of their love for the game. That loss is so tough because you’re so close to everybody. This team had that closeness, had that camaraderie. We had that passion not only for the game but for each other.”
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Giminez drove in a run and concluded a decent postseason although not so hot in the Series until that at bat.

Previously his day was highlighted by a Giminez Special: sticks his arm in the path of an incoming pitch and earns a "hit by pitch" and started a bit of on-field riot.
I couldn't stand his fake HBPs when he played for us and dislike them no more when he does the same for the BlueJays.

The playoffs were amazing.

Shows me how much business that has to be taken care of this winter.

The Guardians have a World Series ready pitching staff with quality replacements in the pipeline.

The Guardians have a minor league offense that needs a major overhaul.

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The average batting average for the 2025 MLB postseason was .250
The average earned run average (ERA) was 4.00.

These figures can vary depending on the specific series or round of the playoffs, but they provide a general baseline for performance during the postseason.

A .250 batting average is generally considered to be average for a player, and it reflects a competitive postseason environment.

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The Cleveland Guardians had a 2025 regular season batting average of .178 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.70.

The team's batting average ranked 29th in the league, while their ERA ranked 4th.

So!

The average 2025 MLB Post Season batting average was 250.
The average 2025 Guardians Regular Season batting average was 178
The average 2025 Guardians Wild Card batting average was .226

The average 2025 MLB Post Season ERA was 4.00
The average 2025 Guardians Regular Season ERA was 3.70
The average 2025 Guardians Wild Card ERA was 3.71

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Pitching:

The Guardians have a World Series ready pitching staff with quality replacements in the pipeline.
Looking forward to checking out John Means this spring. Never can have enough pitching.
No use crying over spilled milk, but I'm already missing Shane Bieber.

Offense:

The Guardians can use a couple of experienced players. Most likely, that help has to come from outside the organization. Resume should include a player or players that possess an offensive game that includes hitting for power and average with quality defensive skills.

Defense:

The 2025 World Series Championship series says it all.

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With a stud-like pitching staff, this is a golden opportunity to get into the playoffs again where anything can happen, as we've seen. The pitching staff is enough to get us there. A significant offensive improvement should keep us there. We have to get there first. Sub-220 players ain't going to get it done.

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Lessons for the Guardians from the World Series

Learn the lesson, leave the event

by Quincy Wheeler

Nov 2, 2025, 2:35 PM CST

The World Series is over. The Dodgers and Blue Jays played a close series eventually won by LA, but the important question is: what can the Guardians learn that might help them someday win the ultimate prize?

The Guardians aren’t going to spend money to be the first payroll like the Dodgers were or the fifth payroll like the Blue Jays were. However, they can still learn from strategies and roster constructions observed by the AL and NL pennant winners in the series we just enjoyed. Here are some lessons that come to mind:

-Get a Lot of Viable Starting Pitchers and Be Aggressive with Them

Both teams had a lot of viable starting pitching and used them freely whenever they needed them throughout the series. The great equalizer for the Guardians is their starting pitching. They should be reluctant to trade any of it and aggressive in promoting any young starters who should show themselves capable of getting big league outs as needed. They are different pitchers in profile, but one would hope the Guardians remember Trey Yesavage’s playoff run if Khal Stephen shows himself to be ready to get big leaguers out in, say, late July. Get starters in the pen if the rotation is full. Let the best arms you have taken their shots at getting the best hitters out.

-Be Wise in Reliever Usage

The biggest mistake of the playoffs was when manager Dan Wilson of the Seattle Mariners pitched his third best reliever with the season on the line when his best reliever was rested and available. I hope manager Stephen Vogt can see that when it comes to elimination games, bullpen roles go out the windows. Pitch your best option when the season/a title is on the line.

Additionally, we saw more examples of teams being more effective against pitchers the more often they see them, especially when used in quick succession. Trying to mix up pitching roles in a 5-7 game series to ensure specific hitters get as few looks at your relievers as possible makes a lot of sense.

-Everyone is Going to Throw a Splitter

The Guardians should prepare to see a lot of splitters in the year ahead with how effective splitters were in the playoffs. Their hitters need to work on hitting them and the organization may want to consider acquiring players who hit splitters well. Small sample size alert, but here are some potentially available hitters who handled splitters well last year:

Michael Taylor .521 wOBA, Heriberto Hernandez .519, Jarren Duran .485 wOBA, Harrison Bader .467 wOBA, Ryan O’Hearn .429 wOBA, Yandy Diaz .376 wOBA, Trent Grisham .374 wOBA, Rhys Hoskins .332 wOBA.

-t’s not a Bad Idea to Prioritize Athletic Fielders who Make a lot of Contact.

Just make sure those guys can make QUALITY contact... or have the potential to do so. The Blue Jays seem to have actualized the Guardians’ vision of 2024 of having a lineup of young, athletic, contact-first profiles who play great defense. But, the Blue Jays also knew how to hit the long ball, which is the key to making that strategy work. The Guardians clearly see that the theory of getting good fielding players that don’t strikeout a ton has legs... it just needs some solid pop and folks who can take walks to accompany it.

-Don’t Lose Focus for an Instant

This is not an attack on Isiah Kiner-Falefa but the Blue Jays would be World Series champs had he just gotten the proper secondary lead on Daulton Varsho’s groundout in the 9th. IKF was closer to the bag than third baseman Max Muncy was and that small error cost the Blue Jays a World Series win.

Every detail must be covered and every potential must be maximized if a team like the Guardians is going to pull off the impossible and win a title. I hope Rouglas Odor and Stephen Vogt were watching that play.

-Spend Some Dang Money

The Blue Jays and Dodgers both had huge payrolls. The Guardians aren’t going to have huge payrolls. However, there are some obvious holes on Cleveland’s roster (two hitters and two relievers) that a little investment from Paul Dolan and David Blitzer can help address and give this team a real shot to win it all. If that Blue Jays team can make a run with five ex-Guardians, the Guardians can also make a run.

I feel somewhat hopeless of seeing the Guardians win a title without significant changes to the game’s revenue-sharing practices, but it won’t stop me dreaming and imagining ways Cleveland can bring an end to their now 77-year title drought.

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