Ernie Clement aims to build off October surge for Team USA, Blue Jays — and more

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Former high-school scorer and resident Buffalo Sabres fan Ernie Clement watched Jack Hughes score in overtime to secure Olympic gold for the United States and became even more excited to play for the American team at the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

“Yeah, you just see the pride and the emotion that they’re playing with, and all the other athletes in the Olympics, too, it makes it so special to represent your country,” the Toronto Blue Jays infielder said. “The fact that we’re playing a few weeks after the Olympics, everybody’s had a taste of representing their country and wearing their country’s colours with pride, and we’re going to continue to do that.”

Clement has long drawn inspiration from various American national teams, referencing the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” squad during the World Series, and following the WBC since its inception.

“I remember the catch Adam Jones made on Manny Machado (at the 2017 tournament), that really sticks out,” said Clement. “I just remember those guys playing with so much emotion before the regular season, when you’re not supposed to be playing that type of intense baseball. It’s just so cool because I love those moments. I love the intensity and the emotion. I always feel like I’m at my best when the stakes are high. I can’t wait to represent the country, and whenever I’m on that field, I’m going to play with pride.”

The 29-year-old leaves for the tournament March 1 and his first time playing for an American national team at any level — “I don’t know if I was ever good enough, it’s a real honour,” he said — comes after he set a single post-season record with 30 hits last fall.

USA manager Mark DeRosa, seeking a versatile player who can offer flexibility both in the field and at the plate, called Blue Jays associate manager DeMarlo Hale, whom he played for in Toronto back in 2013, to ask about Clement, leading to an official invitation. 

The selection further validated how far his career his swung since being released by the Athletics on March 12, 2023, and signing with the Blue Jays as a minor-league free agent a couple of days later. 

He put himself on the organizational radar in 29 games over two stints in the majors that first year, established himself the next season and broke out in 2025, batting .277/.313/.398 while earning Gold Glove consideration at third base and for the utility role.

Then, Clement found yet another gear in the playoffs, going 30-for-73 in 18 games across the three rounds, scoring 13 times and driving in nine others, a stretch he’s looking to pull from this season. 

“I have a lot to build off,” he said. “That was success on the highest stage, in the most pressure, and I feel like I did a really good job of slowing the game down because of how I prepared and got ready for the game. I could just go out there and trust my instincts and I didn’t have to think about anything. It was a locked-in and a focus that I’ve known I can get to. It took a lot of failure throughout the year and throughout my career but I’ve found what works for me. I think I can keep that going through this year.”

Doing so now that post-season success has raised his profile across the industry could be even more challenging. 

Throughout those 18 games, Clement recognized that the Yankees, Mariners and Dodgers needed to come after him — “Who would you rather face, Ernie Clement or George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.?” he said — which allowed him to remain in “attack mode.” 

That he walked only once over the three series underlines how “I wasn’t going to let them steal a strike,” he said. “My swing was in a good spot and I knew they were going to attack me. It fed right into my strength.”

Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins agreed, and although he doesn’t expect teams to pitch Clement very differently this season, there are sure to be adjustments.

“He’s building out some plans to counter that and feature some different versions of himself,” said Popkins. “That’s what makes him really hard to pitch to. You don’t know if he’s going to jump you or grind you out. He’s just an awesome guy with a very special skill-set, and that’s what we saw there.”

What people saw there might have included a World Series-clinching hit if not for Dodgers manager David Roberts’ mid-ninth-inning defensive change and centre-fielder Andy Pages’ spectacular catch on a drive to deep left. 

Over the winter, Clement “watched the replay of it a lot,” but said he was able to move past it relatively quickly.

“When I woke up the morning of Game 7, because I really didn’t get very much sleep, I told myself this is the last game no matter what, win or lose, this it, and it was a very liberating, freeing feeling. Like, Let’s go out there with our hair on fire and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “After the game, I wanted to soak in every minute with the boys. These are going to be some of my best friends forever, even after my baseball career is over. We spent every waking second with each other and we played so hard for each other, it was so much fun and I just really didn’t want it to end. 

“But being a baseball player, one of our superpowers is being able to turn the page and move on pretty quickly,” he added. “I was able to be thankful for the season. I couldn’t wait to get home and see my buddies and my family who I didn’t really get to spend a whole lot of time with in that playoff run. That’s all I could think about, hanging with those guys for as long as possible and then I was able to just flip the switch and go into off-season mode.”

Now, Clement is very much back on, searching for another moment, first with for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, and then again with the Blue Jays.

Den italienske skiskytteren Tommaso Giacomel har gjennomgått et vellykket hjerteinngrep.
Det opplyser Det italienske vintersportforbundet.
Giacomel ledet skiskytternes fellesstart i OL, men måtte bryte.
– Rett etter den andre liggende skytingen sluttet kroppen min på en eller annen måte å fungere ordentlig, og jeg slet virkelig med å puste og å bevege meg. Derfor måtte jeg stoppe, skrev Tommaso Giacomel på Instagram etter rennet.
Ifølge forbundet skal han gjennomgå ytterligere kontroller før han kan gjenoppta full trening.

Jurgen Klinsmann has given his verdict ahead of Inter’s Champions League play-off round second leg against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday evening, and has reflected on his own experiences of overturning a two-goal deficit in Europe with the Nerazzurri.

Inter fell to a 3-1 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie against Bodo/Glimt last week, and will now need to win by at least two goals to keep the fixture alive in San Siro on Tuesday night.

Klinsmann on Inter memories, Bodo/Glimt challenge and Esposito growth

Klinsmann knows full well what it is like to go into the second leg of a European match looking to overturn a two-goal deficit. Back in 1990, he and his Nerazzurri teammates responded to a 2-0 UEFA Cup loss against Aston Villa by winning 3-0 in San Siro in the reverse fixture.

“It’s one of the games I’ll never forget, the biggest comeback of my career,” Klinsmann told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

epa11076040 South Korea head coach Juergen Klinsmann holds a press conference ahead of a Group E match against Bahrain at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup at the Main Media Centre in Doha, Qatar, 14 January 2024. EPA-EFE/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT

“After the first leg, nobody thought that we wouldn’t make it, in fact we were all convinced. You always have to start from there, from the optimism that convinces you to do great things.

“The rest of the credit goes to the supporters in the stadium, because it was a simply incredible atmosphere. It was one of the most energetic matches I’ve ever been part of. I still remember the supporters waving all those flags.”

Klinsmann believes that the current Inter squad could learn a few lessons from that famous night back in 1990.

“It teaches you that you have to be patient and that you don’t necessarily have to score all the goals straight away. I scored one early, but we had to wait until midway through the second half for Berti’s second. Then, a little while later came that fabulous goal from Alessandro Bianchi. The roar was incredible.”

Klinsmann believes that a lot of credit must go to the development of Norwegian football after Bodo/Glimt’s 3-1 victory over Inter last week.

“Norwegian football has had an incredible development over the last 10 years. We don’t talk about it enough, but they will be the surprise team at the World Cup. There might be more experienced national teams who might win the whole thing, but Norway has everything to go the distance. Bodo/Glimt represents this movement very well.”

BODO, NORWAY – FEBRUARY 18: Jens Petter Hauge of Bodo/Glimt celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammate Kasper Hogh during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off First Leg match between FK Bodo/Glimt and FC Internazionale Milano at Aspmyra Stadion on February 18, 2026 in Bodo, Norway. (Photo by Martin Ole Wold/Getty Images)

Klinsmann believes it would be a mistake to underestimate Bodo/Glimt for a second time.

“The biggest mistake would be to treat them as beginners,” he said. “They won’t be intimidated because they’re an excellent team with good results in Europe. They’re not just strong at home, they have the quality to give Inter trouble in Milan as well.

“They will have to attack a lot, but without exposing themselves because they know how to punish you from the first opportunity.”

Inter will have to do it without captain and leading centre-forward Lautaro Martinez, who is unavailable through injury on Tuesday night. Klinsmann is full of praise for the man who is expected to replace him, Pio Esposito, though.

“Pio has already established himself, regardless of the role that he will have until the end of the season, whether that’s coming on or starting from the off. This guy has made it clear what he’s made of.

LECCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Francesco Pio Esposito of Inter warms up prior to the Serie A match between US Lecce and FC Internazionale at Stadio Via del Mare on February 21, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

“We hope that he is the man of destiny for our qualification, but we hope more than anything that he can grow even further. Finally, a strong Italian who gets a chance on the pitch.

“I like him because he doesn’t know fear and he always has the right level of trust. If he misses, he is only ever frustrated with himself and not the teammate who passed him the ball. He can drag his team despite being 20 years old. But I expect the same leadership from other Inter players as well.”

Luciano Spalletti is seriously considering a change in goal for Juventus ahead of the crucial Champions League playoff second leg against Galatasaray, with Michele Di Gregorio’s starting spot now under heavy threat.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Bianconeri manager is reflecting on the possibility of removing Di Gregorio from the lineup following a string of decisive errors that have undermined the team’s defensive stability. The goalkeeper’s recent performances have been marked by high-profile blunders, specifically in the first leg against the Turkish side, as well as in the high-stakes Derby d’Italia against Inter and most recently against Como.

With the season’s European ambitions on the line, Mattia Perin is now in line to start the return leg. Spalletti appears ready to turn to the experienced deputy to provide the reliability and leadership that has been missing in recent outings. The decision reflects a growing lack of confidence in Di Gregorio, whose position as the number one choice is now more fragile than ever.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN

The Baltimore Ravens don’t have a safety problem, but they may have a timing problem. That distinction matters. The foundation is already strong with All-Pro-caliber chess piece Kyle Hamilton and 2025 first-round addition Malaki Starks anchoring the future. Roster construction in the NFL, however, is rarely about what you have today. It's often about what you might lose tomorrow.

Both Alohi Gilman and Ar'Darius Washington are staring at free agency if extensions aren't offered. That creates a potential depth concern behind two young stars. Baltimore has long valued versatile defensive backs who can disguise coverages, blitz, and tackle in space. You remember that Ed Reed fellow, don't you?

That philosophy makes this upcoming draft class particularly interesting. Here are six safeties who fit what the Ravens historically covet: intelligence, physicality, and positional flexibility.

Caleb Downs, Ohio State Buckeyes

Last season was one for the ages. Caleb Downs took home the Lott Trophy and the Jim Thorpe Award. He was also named First-Team All-Big Ten and a Unanimous All-American. That's the second time he has earned both of those honors.

A College Football Playoff National Champion (2024), he has the tools to succeed in the NFL immediately. We're labeling him the valedictorian of this class at the safety position.

Kamari Ramsey, USC Trojans

Ramsey brings size, physicality, and downhill aggression. The Ravens have a history of appreciating tone-setting defenders who thrive near the line of scrimmage. That's this young man's calling card. His ability to cover tight ends and support the run would complement Hamilton's hybrid role nicely.

Dillon Thieneman, Oregon Ducks

Dillon Thieneman notched two solid seasons with the Purdue Boilermakers (2023-24) before transferring to Oregon. He earned First-team All-Big Ten honors in 2025 and grades as a potential Day 2 prospect, at least in our opinion.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo Rockets

If Toledo doesn't know anything else, they're well aware of what NFL-ready secondary players look like. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was a teammate of Philadelphia Eagles star Quinyon Mitchell and Seattle Seahawks safety Maxen Hook for two seasons (2022-23).

He's also good in his own right, having notched 77 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, and five pass deflections last season. He's six-foot-two and weighs 202 pounds.

A.J. Haulcy, LSU Tigers

First-Team All-SEC and First-Team All-American honors were a nice period at the end of the sentence for A.J. Haulcy in 2025. He tallied 89 tackles, three interceptions, and four passes broken up.

Haulcy’s size and athletic profile scream Ravens football. He’s built to handle AFC North physicality and offers special teams value early while developing into a defensive contributor.

Javon Kilgore, South Carolina Gamecocks

A Second-Team All-SEC nod for the second time last season. Javon Kilgore also made the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2023.

He is a high-IQ defender with strong tackling fundamentals and positional awareness. Coaches trust players like him quickly, which matters for a team with playoff expectations every year.

Worth noting:

The reality is that Baltimore may not need to draft a safety early for a while now. Hamilton and Starks could lock down the position for years, but depth is necessary in the NFL. Losing Gilman and Washington would both be huge losses.

Championship organizations plan for contract cycles, injuries, and roster churn before problems emerge. If Gilman and Washington depart, the Ravens won't need to panic. They'll need to pivot. That’s what smart teams like this one often do.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Top safety prospects to add to the Ravens draft board