Of course. Though I think you can just as well frame it the opposite way: on clay, if you're the unique freak of nature like Thiem and Rafa who can average 3500+ RPM
and hit the top echelons of speed
at the same time, then you can allow yourself to be 5m behind the baseline when you have to and still have your opponent feel like you're standing on the service line blasting forehands at them (3500+ rotations & 135 km/h is humongous any way one frames it). And that's why their two forehands are dominating this clay season more so than guys with less mustard trying to stand up on the baseline
P.S. I think their court positioning can be exaggerated at times. We all know they start comically far back when returning, but it's very plain to see that they both expertly work their way forward to owning the baseline, often finishing points with their monster forehands inside the baseline (Nadal is finishing the majority of his forehand winners points inside the baseline this RG, finishing by going straight DTL to his opponents forehand corner some 70% of these winners). Their monstrous combos of pace and spin on the forehands in no small part is what lets them make this transition so successfully during points.