The Los Angeles Angels may be considering a significant trade involving pitcher Reid Detmers, who could potentially fetch a larger return than Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, according to a report from USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
Detmers, a 26-year-old left-hander, is drawing interest from multiple teams ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. His value is attributed to several factors: he has two more years of team control remaining compared to Skubal, and he is currently earning a modest $2.7 million. These attributes make him an attractive option for front offices looking for affordability, team control, and improving performance.
This season, Detmers has emerged as one of the American League's most effective starters. Entering the current week, he held a 3.68 earned run average (ERA) with 100 strikeouts and a 1.00 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). Opponents are batting .207 against him, and advanced metrics suggest his performance may exceed traditional statistics.
His recent outings have been particularly dominant. Over his last three starts, Detmers posted a 0.45 ERA across 20 innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out 18 batters. Underlying data from MLB.com indicates a strong underlying performance, with an expected ERA of 2.77, placing him among the league's elite pitchers.
Despite the growing speculation, the Angels have historically resisted trading star players. Owner Arte Moreno has reportedly shown little interest in moving young, controllable talent, and Detmers is under contract through 2028. However, with the Angels currently positioned near the bottom of the AL standings and facing another losing season, rival executives are closely monitoring the situation.
If the Angels decide to make Detmers available, Nightengale's report suggests that the competition to acquire him could rival or even surpass the market for Skubal, who is also a highly sought-after pitcher.