AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS BLUE JAYS

October 5, 2025

Ernie Clement

Rogers Centre

Toronto Blue Jays

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Blue Jays - 13, Yankees - 7

Q. Ernie, you've talked to a lot of us over the years about what it's meant for you to have this organization believe in you and stick with them. With that in mind, what does it mean for you to have that moment right there in front of this crowd?

ERNIE CLEMENT: It was awesome. It's kind of what you dream about as a kid in the backyard, but usually it's in the ninth inning when you do that kind of thing. I still had a lot of game left, so I had to lock back in.

I had to walk back into the clubhouse and kind of gather myself because my heart was beating so fast, I was so excited. Had to reel it back in and then finish the ballgame.

Q. Ernie, we just talked to Trey, obviously unbelievable game from him. What was your perspective on what he did watching him from third base?

ERNIE CLEMENT: Yeah, he made our job in the field easy. He struck everybody out, so that was nice. Those ground balls can get a little scary in those kind of games. He was amazing. He was amazing, very poised. It's the same Trey that we've seen for his first couple starts. So very encouraging. I'd encourage him to keep making our job easy.

Q. Just wondering what was going through your mind as you were running around the bases, first career playoff hit, you kind of had your arms out like maybe you were flying or something? Just wondering what that moment was like.

ERNIE CLEMENT: I don't remember anything. I totally blacked out. I honestly don't know what I was doing. I looked like an idiot, but it is what it is.

Q. What does it say about this offense that you've gotten more home runs in these two games than strikeouts combined so far? Eight homers and seven strikeouts through two games.

ERNIE CLEMENT: Wow, I didn't know that. That's pretty cool. The not striking out thing is pretty awesome because we're just grinding in there, trying to be a tough at-bat, and it's 1 through 9 not giving away at-bats. Just trying to make it tough on their pitchers. We know where they're at in terms of their bullpen and everything. They just came off a really tough series.

So it's really important for us to work them and just make it as tough as possible on them.

Q. The crowd the last two days has been especially electric. Does it feel like you're playing for something bigger than the Toronto Blue Jays, that you're playing for the country, and what does that feel like right now?

ERNIE CLEMENT: Yeah, when you're playing for a country, it's a little bit different. It's been really special to kind of take a step back and look around and see all the people there supporting you. The crowds have been amazing.

At the end of the day, we're playing for the guys in our clubhouse. We love each other a lot, and we're a really close group. Then we're playing for the Blue Jays organization, and then we're playing for an entire country. There's not another team that can say that. It's really, really special.

Q. You guys have played with confidence all year long and believed in yourself. Does that hit another level when you have a weekend like you just had?

ERNIE CLEMENT: Yeah, we've played our asses off at home. There's no denying it. And that's huge because of the fans and the comfortability. It's just we play with a lot of pride here in Toronto, and it goes a long way when you get 40,000 and you have everybody cheering you on. It makes it real easy.

Q. You talk about playing for a country, for Canada here, but back home in Rochester, probably a lot of Yankee fans. How are you going to deal with those guys?

ERNIE CLEMENT: Hopefully we're starting to convert them to Blue Jays fans. Honestly, the support back in Rochester is unbelievable, and I get a bunch of texts, like I can feel the love. It's really appreciated.

Yeah, I think we're on our way to converting quite a few people from Yankees fans to Blue Jays fans.