Blue Jays Fans Spot a Glitch in MLB The Show 26: That’s Not Ernie Clement
When the trailer for MLB The Show 26 dropped earlier this week, most fans were focused on the big-ticket features - the return of the World Baseball Classic, a new Hall of Fame induction path in Road to the Show, and the usual round of gameplay tweaks. But for Toronto Blue Jays fans, one quick moment in the trailer stole the spotlight - and not in the way the developers probably intended.
In a blink-and-you-miss-it clip, a player wearing the Blue Jays’ City Connect jersey makes a play at second base inside a virtual Rogers Centre. The number on the back?
22 - Ernie Clement’s number. But the player model?
Let’s just say it looked a whole lot more like Whit Merrifield than Clement.
And fans noticed. Quickly.
Toronto-based reporter Rob Wong was among the first to point it out on social media, posting a screenshot that raised eyebrows across Blue Jays Twitter. The player in question is clearly meant to be Clement - the jersey number gives it away - but the face, the build, even the stance?
Not quite right. For a guy who just had one of the most historic postseasons in MLB history, it’s a surprising oversight.
Clement’s Postseason Heroics Deserve Better
Let’s rewind to October 2025, when Ernie Clement went from role player to postseason legend. In 18 playoff games, he racked up 30 hits - the most in a single postseason in MLB history.
That’s not a typo. He slashed .411/.416/.562 with a .977 OPS, adding six doubles, a triple, a homer, and 13 runs scored.
He was a spark plug in every sense of the word, delivering clutch hit after clutch hit as the Blue Jays stormed their way to the World Series.
So, yeah - it’s a little odd that the guy who just rewrote the October record books doesn’t even get a proper face scan in MLB The Show 26.
The Reality of Annual Sports Games
To be fair, developing a game like The Show every single year is a monumental task. San Diego Studio has to juggle a massive roster of players across both MLB and MiLB, not to mention new features, gameplay balancing, and fan feedback. It’s understandable that not every player gets the full facial rendering treatment - especially when you consider the time and resources it takes to scan each one.
But Clement? After what he did last fall? You’d think he’d be near the top of the list.
What adds to the irony is that MLB The Show 26 chose to spotlight Clement in the trailer - not Vladimir Guerrero Jr., not George Springer, not Dylan Cease. Of all the players to feature, they went with Clement… and then didn’t quite get his likeness right. It’s the digital equivalent of spelling someone’s name wrong on a trophy.
A Promising Game, But a Bumpy First Impression
There’s still plenty to be excited about in this year’s edition of The Show. The inclusion of the World Baseball Classic is a big win for international baseball fans, and the Hall of Fame ceremony in Road to the Show adds a nice narrative touch for career-mode players. But for Blue Jays fans, the trailer’s biggest takeaway wasn’t the new features - it was the uncanny valley version of Ernie Clement turning a double play.
It’s a small detail, sure. But in a game that prides itself on realism and authenticity, those small details matter. Especially when they involve a player who just had one of the most unforgettable Octobers in recent memory.
So here’s hoping San Diego Studio gives Clement the proper digital glow-up before launch. Because if there’s one thing Blue Jays fans have made clear, it’s that they know their second baseman - and that guy in the trailer? That’s just not him.