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Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 7/28/25

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Road

2:16

The news of the day is Clase getting investigated for gambling - Do you have a take on that?

Ben Clemens

2:16

Michael Baumann is writing something up on it as we speak, I believe

I'd say that it's too soon for me to have much of a view

2:17

haven't had time to see all the reported evidence, but generally speaking I'm glad MLB is taking a really hard look at this and think that they probably didn't do enough thinking/vetting of their gambling partners and how this would all work before signing all these partnerships

no opinion on whether Clase did what he's accused of doing

Oaktown Blues

2:18

Kurtz really put an exclamation point on his hot streak, huh? Trying not to overreact to one game, but it's starting to feel like he's potentially on a generational hitter trajectory...would you agree?

Guest

2:18

I was quite amused reading your trade value chat friday evening after Kurtz' HR barrage and seeing how much you hedged about his value. Good timing

Ben Clemens

2:18

Lucky hedging! Slash I mean, noticeable thing once I finalized the list. easier to see things when you're not also moving them around all the time

um, potentially on a generational hitter trajectory? definitely agree

very excited to keep watching him this year

2:19

still haven't been to a major league game in Sacramento but there's no time like August

I actually went to Friday night's Giants game to celebrate being done with this project and watched the A's game at a bar beforehand

2:19

Given what you wrote in your Trade Value series (it was really fun, BTW. Thank you!), would Ohtani get even bigger contract now, if he were a free agent? And, what would be a "fair" contract?

Ben Clemens

2:19

I don't think so b/c in his actual free agency, he told the teams what deal he wanted

and they just offered him that

so it wasn't really an open market bidding anyway? or at least, it was a weird version of one

Unspellable

2:19

The Mets kinda got a trade deadline addition with the return of S. Manaea (sp?). Am I wrong to be optimistic he can be a key part of their rotation down the stretch?

Ben Clemens

2:19

oh for sure

2:21

i mean, will he stay healthy? obviously not 100%. will his changes from last year stick? through two starts it looks okay

Bosoxforlife

2:21

The Red Sox logjam is a joke but trading Duran would be a catastrophe. I don't care if he is hitting only .260. He is a catalyst of the first order and brings an energy level that is infectious. Please give me a clue as to how the Red Sox handle this surplus in a lot better way than the Orioles did. It is ironic that the Orioles traded the only tradable prospect, Henderson were Rutschman untouchable, who can actually hit in Stowers even though Rogers has suddenly emerged from his cocoon.

Ben Clemens

2:22

I don't really know how the Sox are supposed to handle this one, to be honest. It feels like they're going to have to sacrifice some value somewhere, particularly if you take their in-house valuations of these outfielders

basically, I don't think they're trading Rafaela or Anthony, and I don't think they should eitehr

2:23

They also seem to want to play Yoshida against righties pretty often, and honestly even against lefties (?)

I don't see them as the kind of team to eat money to trade Yoshida

they don't seem like the kind of team to eat money to trade anyone, tbh

2:24

so that means they have to trade one of Abreu or Duran. But yeah, I would hate trading Duran

he's so fun to watch. I'm a habitual Duran fantasy owner, I love the triples-over-homers thing, it's so neat

2:25

if I were them, I think I'd just bite the bullet and trade Abreu for less than he's worth

the problem is that even if they cut Yoshida's playing time, I don't want to play Anthony solely at DH, and the Rafaela 2b thing is clearly not a good long-term plan

Dom

2:25

When does the crowd sourced trade value drop?

Ben Clemens

2:26

I'm redoing the editorial part of the introductory article, should be out tomorrow morning

appa yip yip

2:26

the blue jays?

Ben Clemens

2:26

a delight

they're so good

Bosoxforlife

2:26

Mitch Keller or Dylan Cease? I see at as a no brainer. Keller is pitching well and is under control at a reasonable price while Cease is none of the above.

Ben Clemens

2:26

yeah I'd prefer Keller, I've never really been into Cease for whatever reason

2:27

like, I've just always regarded him a hair below consensus. and I guess I'm still there now

it's not like Keller is an ace, but he's bulk solid rate pitching

2:28

you'd feel just fine having him on your team. and yeah, it doesn't hurt that the rate is reasonable. like i'd rather have a better pitcher and pay a little more, but I don't have the combo

I don't actually think the Pirates are going to trade him though

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