JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/2/2026

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/2/2026

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wheelhouse

3:22

Is this the year Ryan McMahon breaks out? For the purposes of this question a 105-115 wRC+ and 3 WAR will suffice

Ben Clemens

3:22

probably not

reality has a well-known Ryan McMahon not breaking out bias

3:23

here are his wRC+'s by year over his nine (!) year career:
47, 69, 89, 76, 93, 97, 90, 88, 86

he's actually spectacularly consistent

six of those nine years have 500+ PA, too

the only ones that don't are 47, 69, and 76. the man just has one speed

JT

3:23

Who will be the Mariners ace this year? Feel like it’s been back and forth over the last few…

Ben Clemens

3:23

I'll take Kirby despite the way we have them lined up in depth charts

Vee

3:23

As a fan, I think it sucks big time that the NFL doesn't guarantee their contracts. It's a totally different economy.

Ben Clemens

3:24

yeah, agreed. it's a really different space. although players dn't have guaranteed deals in MLB for their first six years either!

it just seems like they do because their salaries are so constrained that what kind of dummy team wouldn't keep paying them

but look, the Dodgers non-tendered Cody Bellinger. these deals are not guaranteed

Vee

3:24

McMahon and Ke'Bryan Hayes having long careers without being able to hit makes me appreciate Matt Chapman a little more

Ben Clemens

3:25

yeah. Hayes in particular gives me a ton of appreciation for Chapman

because he really is eveyr bit his match defensively

and he has some offensive tools, like Chapman

and like.... it doesn't work. whereas for Chapman, it does

JT

3:25

Best Sophomore SP this year? Schlittler, McLean, Chase Burns, or someone else?

Ben Clemens

3:26

it's really hard, and you didn't even include Yesavage or Horton

I think I'm on Burns? but man, not with much confidence. lots of good options that are not particularly differentiated, imo

CFH

3:26

Djokovic claims he turned a glass of water green by directing angry thoughts at it, while keeping another one clear with happy thoughts, cried after getting surgery because he thinks the body is a beautiful, self-healing machine, and diagnosed himself as gluten intolerent because he felt weaker while holding a loaf of bread in his hand. I feel like he was kinda never gonna get a vaccine, but he's still a weird and interesting dude. Can't stand Zverev mostly cuz of off the field stuff, but also good servers are boring

Ben Clemens

3:26

haha i mean, I'm not sure I could have said it better. If you're not going to share my values, at least be weird

Djokovic is definitely delightfully weird, that's inarguable

Dodgers Blue

3:27

According to Ben Clemens, Jac Caglianone's upside is _____

Ben Clemens

3:27

50 homers with the greatest raw power this side of Judge

like good god he can hit bombs

the floor is not major league caliber, to be clear

Guest

3:27

Ever try Brass: Birmingham?

Ben Clemens

3:27

I've tried to, and never finished

not sure if that's a good sign. I know that my friend who is most plugged in to board games loves it, though

JEWELS

3:27

I would love to see a SP's reaction to Judge charging the mound after plunking him.,.

like if Sonny Gray plunked him and Judge starts running towards him all angry. What do you do if your Gray?

Ben Clemens

3:28

added this question because it makes me giggle

I love Sonny Gray. I think he would make a business decision and either cower, apologize while cowering, or jsut straight up run away

That seems very wise! Why would you choose to get in an altercation with someone shaped like Judge?

and presumably you didn't hit him on purpose

just admit fault and survive to pitch another day

Guest

3:29

Who is the Red Sox second best SP in 2026? Suarez is the obvious candidate, but Bello, Gray or Oviedo might surprise people. Who do you think?

Ben Clemens

3:29

I've got Gray. I think he's really good, and that Suarez's greatness is more consistency than top end, if that makes sense

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