CLEVELAND, Ohio — Ernie Clement was once a utility man trying to crack Cleveland’s lineup. Now he’s a lineup fixture in Toronto — and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who played briefly with the infielder toward the end of his career with the Athletics, has taken notice.

Clement, Cleveland’s 2017 fourth-round pick out of Virginia, was released by the Guardians in 2022 after making his big-league debut with the club the previous season. Clement found his way to Toronto in 2023 after crossing paths with Vogt in Oakland.

This season, Clement has blossomed, batting .307 with four home runs and 18 RBI for the Blue Jays mostly as a platoon infielder. But he has come on strong lately, recording hits in 20 of his last 24 games dating back to May 27. In that span he is batting .407 with 12 extra-base hits and 17 runs scored.

“Getting to play with Ernie and getting to know him a little bit, I’m not surprised at all he’s doing this,” Vogt said Tuesday ahead of Cleveland’s series opener against the Blue Jays. “He reflected on his time in Cleveland. He reflected on his time in Oakland. Now he’s with Toronto… He’s able to put those pieces together now and just go out and be him.”

Clement has found a steady role facing lefties and flashing defensive versatility — the exact kind of fit that can give opponents anxiety. Vogt praised Clement’s maturity and ability to learn from each stop, even if his success this week would be less than ideal for the Guardians.

“If he could just take a few days off,” Vogt joked, “we’ll be good.”

On the mend

The Guardians’ injured bullpen arms are trending in the right direction this week with three relievers seeing game action with minor league affiliates. Paul Sewald, Trevor Stephan and Erik Sabrowski are all on rehab assignments — Sewald and Stephan with Double-A Akron, Sabrowski with Triple-A Columbus — and each is making progress according to Vogt.

The returns of Sewald and Stephan in particular could help bolster a bullpen that’s been heavily leaned on through the season’s first half.

Meanwhile, ace Shane Bieber continues to work through his throwing program with no definitive timetable for his return to game activity.

“We go week to week. We don’t get ahead of ourselves,” Vogt said of Bieber’s status. “But he’s feeling good and that’s all we really care about.”

Road worn, home ready

After an exhausting 11-day West Coast swing that included games in Seattle, San Francisco and Sacramento, the Guardians are happy to be home — and relieved to have those long trips in the rearview mirror for the remainder of the regular season. Cleveland went 4-5 on the trip after an opening series sweep at the hands of the Mariners.

“That (trip) was a beast,” Vogt said. “We got punched in the teeth in Seattle and then came back to win the next two series. That’s the resilience of this group.”

Vogt said the final two games of the trip — wins in Sacramento — helped reset the club’s offensive rhythm.

“We looked more like ourselves,” Vogt said. “Playing defense and stringing hits together. That’s when we’re at our best.”

They’ll need to be sharp against a Blue Jays team Vogt called “a great offense… tremendous starting pitching… really good bullpen… great defense.”

Cleveland won two of three in Toronto in May, including back-to-back victories in their final at-bats.

“They’re playing much, much better baseball than they were the last time we saw them,” Vogt said. “We’ve got work to do.”