00:00Okay, starting pitchers, Seth Lugo of Kansas City has just come alive over the last couple of months.
00:05He's having another good year, George, pitching his way probably back into the All-Star game, I would guess.
00:102.65 earned run average, 95 innings.
00:12He's going to push 200 innings this season.
00:1583 strikeouts, 1.09 earned run average.
00:19Having another really solid year for Kansas City.
00:21At this point, there's nothing to say that he won't produce in the second half like he has in the first.
00:26I don't have any concerns.
00:28No, me neither.
00:29I mean, I guess once again, if I want to play devil's advocate, maybe he gets traded to a team that's not as pitcher-friendly ballpark.
00:38That's the only negative I can figure out from here.
00:41He did get hurt for a little bit, which is in some ways good.
00:43He'll save his innings.
00:44He's fresher.
00:45He can go in that direction here.
00:47As you said here, I have no problem with Seth Lugo.
00:49If he's available on the market, we all need pitching, pitching depth, whatever it might be.
00:53And he's more than depth, by the way.
00:55I think on a fantasy team, he's no worse than an SP3.
00:59The Texas Rangers are one of the more perplexing questions coming up at the trade deadline.
01:04So, naturally, Jacob DeGrom's name is coming up.
01:07And DeGrom is having a Cy Young Award season.
01:10Again, I mean, he's having the best season he's had in years.
01:13100 innings, 100 strikeouts, an ERA of two, a whip under one.
01:16And then, George, it's like, you have to ask yourself, why are the Rangers even considering selling?
01:21I mean, they're two games under .500.
01:23I know they're just so far back of Houston.
01:26But, like, don't you feel like they're one five-game winning streak from being back in this?
01:31I don't know.
01:32I don't see it like this one thing.
01:33Do you?
01:35They're already back in it.
01:36They're three games out of the wild card.
01:39They're fine.
01:40All right?
01:40I mean, if they were 10 games over .500 and three games back in the wild card, we're not talking about this, right?
01:46So, yeah, okay, their record isn't great here, but they're only three games back in the wild card.
01:51Granted, it's not going to be easy.
01:53Those three teams are Tampa, the Yankees, and Seattle.
01:56You know, I don't know if any of those teams are going away.
01:58They've got to climb over the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox as well.
02:01So, at least three teams they have to climb over there for the wild card.
02:05I don't think they're trading DeGrom.
02:07And he's been great.
02:08I mean, let's face it, if it's not the school bull, you know, he went to Frieden here and Hunter Brown, he might be the starter in the All-Star game.
02:14He might want a story.
02:15He is.
02:16Fantastic.
02:17But the main reason I don't think anyone's trading for him is that contract's, what, $37.5 million a year.
02:22Got a couple of years left.
02:23That's a lot of money.
02:24You're banking on Jacob DeGrom, all right, the acquiring team.
02:28So, I don't think he's getting dealt.
02:29And I don't think Texas would eat the money, Greg.
02:31I think that's also a thing there.
02:33I don't think they would say, okay, fine, we'll trade you DeGrom.
02:35We'll eat some money here, and we'll get a so-so return here.
02:38No, they would rather go for the wild card, take a chance, DeGrom can lead them there.
02:42And so far, he's been great.
02:43I think he starts today as well.
02:45If you're struggling for saves, it'd be a really easy target to just look at the best closer in baseball and say Edwin Diaz.
02:52But you're going to pay such a premium here, George, to get this kind of player.
02:56The guy who has him doesn't want to trade him, and the team that wants to trade for him is probably not going to give up enough.
03:01So, I don't think he's moving around in fantasy or reality, to be honest.
03:06I certainly don't think he's moving on in reality.
03:08Fantasy, and once again, it could happen.
03:10Somebody could have three closers.
03:11Maybe they can move him.
03:12But as you said, you're probably going to overpay for the guy.
