The Angels have spent years resisting the urge to trade star talent, but a new report suggests they may be sitting on a gold mine.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, left-hander Reid Detmers could command an even larger return than Tigers ace Tarik Skubal if the Angels are willing to make him available ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
“If the Angels changed their mind and made Detmers available, they could demand a package greater than the one the Tigers will receive for two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal,” Nightengale wrote. “He not only has two more years of control than Skubal, but is earning just $2.7 million.”
That is a remarkable statement considering Skubal is one of the most sought-after pitchers in baseball and a two-time American League Cy Young Award winner. Yet Detmers checks several boxes that front offices covet: age, affordability, team control and improving performance.
The 26-year-old has quietly emerged as one of the AL’s most effective starters this season. Entering this week, Detmers owned a 3.68 ERA with 100 strikeouts and a 1.00 WHIP. Opponents are hitting .207 against him, while advanced metrics suggest he may actually be pitching better than his traditional numbers indicate.
His recent run has been especially dominant. Nightengale highlighted Detmers’ last three starts, during which he posted a 0.45 ERA across 20 innings while allowing just one earned run and striking out 18.
MLB.com’s underlying data paints an even stronger picture. Detmers entered the week with a 2.77 expected ERA, trailing only some of the game’s elite arms, including Paul Skenes and Shohei Ohtani.
Despite the speculation, all signs point toward the Angels holding onto Detmers. Nightengale recently reported that owner Arte Moreno has little interest in moving controllable young talent, and Detmers remains under team control through 2028.
Still, with the Angels sitting near the bottom of the AL standings, facing another losing season and with fans demanding change, rival executives are undoubtedly watching closely.
If the Angels change course, Nightengale’s report suggests the bidding war for Detmers could rival — or even exceed — the market for Skubal.
For now, the Angels appear intent on standing pat. But Detmers’ combination of performance, contract value and years of control may make him one of baseball’s most valuable assets, whether the organization wants to admit it or not.
