Blue Jays Clement rewarded for break-through season
Merry Christmas Ernie Clement.
The utility player for the Blue Jays and 2024 Gold Glove finalist will be getting some extra money to spend on gifts this holiday season. $245 000 to be exact.
He earns the cash as part of the MLBPA's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)'s pre-arbitration bonus.
While Clement was at the lower end of the spectrum in terms of money received - Bobby Witt Jr. was tops with $3.1 million - the money is not exactly peanuts for a guy who didn't even start 2024 with a guaranteed job.
MLB Trade Rumours does a very good job at laying out how the pre-arbitration bonus system works, but essentially there is a certain amount of money set aside - in this case $50MM, with each team committing about $1.67MM - in an effort to help high-performing athletes get paid more earlier in their careers.
Players get paid out according to the honour they receive. It's why Witt Jr.'s bonus is so much. He finished 2nd in MVP voting. Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, who also finished third in Cy Young voting, was second with $2.15 MM, and the Orioles Gunnar Henderson rounded out the top three at $2MM. Henderson finished 4th in MVP voting.
Once the award-money is dealt with, the remaining are divided out between the next top 100 eligible players. How much they receive is based on a pre-determined WAR formula and approved by the MLBPA.
The exact amount that Clement received was $245 805. With one of his roommates traded away, and the other on the outside looking in, maybe Clement will use it for a place of his own.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 18 | 202 ANSWERS Blue Jays Clement rewarded for break-through season Where will Clement see the most playing time? | ||
| Second Base | 20 | 9.9 % |
| Third Base | 155 | 76.7 % |
| Shortstop | 9 | 4.5 % |
| elsewhere | 18 | 8.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
