Reid Detmers has become a name to watch in Cubs deadline chatter, and for good reason. Chicago is clearly hunting for rotation help ahead of the 2026 trade deadline, but the buzz around the league suggests the Cubs want more than a rental. They want a starter who can stick around beyond this season.
That’s where Detmers fits. He’s under control through the 2028 season, which instantly raises the cost and the appeal.
The Angels left-hander has a 4.05 ERA across 21 starts, but the deeper numbers tell a more interesting story: a 27.6% strikeout rate, a 7.% walk rate, and a 3.27 FIP. Those are the kinds of indicators that make front offices believe there’s another gear waiting to be unlocked.
The Cubs have obvious alternatives if they want to swing big. Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins and Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants stand out as the cleanest targets.
But those are the kinds of pitchers every team would love to land, and there’s no guarantee either club is willing to move them. That’s why Detmers has started to look like a more realistic path for Chicago.
The Angels’ deadline direction matters here, too. There’s a growing sense that John Mozeliak, despite still carrying the interim label, is prepared to make a major move to reset things in Anaheim.
If that’s the plan, then either Detmers or Soriano could be available. Soriano would make sense for the Cubs, but Detmers appears to be the one gaining the most traction.
If Chicago really wants to push this over the line, it probably won’t be cheap. Owen Ayers looks like the kind of player who would have to be part of the conversation. The Athletic recently reported that if the Angels move Soriano or Detmers, they would be looking for a young catcher, and that puts the Cubs in a strong position because of Ayers’ rise this season.
Even so, Ayers alone probably doesn’t get it done. His stock is up, but his projection hasn’t changed enough to make him the centerpiece of a Detmers deal. That’s why Jaxon Wiggins would likely have to be included as well, giving the Angels a high-ceiling pitching prospect to help offset the loss of Detmers.
Ayers and Wiggins together would be a painful price, but the Cubs could soften the blow with a third piece they’re more comfortable moving. With Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez on the roster, James Triantos looks like a logical trade chip. There’s overlap there, and it feels likely that one of those pieces could be moved before the deadline.
It would be a significant prospect haul, no question. But a trade for Detmers would also give the Cubs something they need right now and something they need next year. He’d help the rotation immediately, and he’d bring some much-needed clarity for 2026, especially with Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon all set to hit free agency and Cade Horton’s status for next season still uncertain.
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With the trade deadline also looming, the front office may not be done adding pitching help, which means there will be fewer places to go around. That puts a handful of current Cubs in a vulnerable spot, with Aaron Civale, Tyler Ferguson, Trent Thornton, Andrew Wantz, Pedro Ramirez and James Triantos among the names most exposed if the club has to clear room for the reinforcements coming down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Catching Depth Just Took Another Hit Fans Will Notice
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For Chicago, the departure is another reminder that organizational catching depth can change quickly, especially when a player with big league experience becomes available elsewhere. Bethancourt had been part of the mix at Iowa, and his exit leaves the Cubs with one less experienced option in the upper minors while the Yankees keep searching for a right-handed-hitting catcher and continue sorting through trade possibilities. [Read more 🡒]
Jed Hoyer May Have Just Shown His True Cubs Deadline Plan
Tarik Skubal is still the loudest name on the pitching market, and the Tigers are expected to move him before the deadline with a long list of contenders circling. The Cubs have been floated as a possible fit, but the broader picture around Chicago has pointed in a different direction, one that values a starter who can stick around beyond this season rather than a short-term swing at a premium arm.
That preference says plenty about how Jed Hoyer may be approaching July. Chicago is willing to part with prospects for the right pitcher, but the club seems far more likely to chase a controllable arm than a rental with free agency looming, which is why names like Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano, Emmerson Hancock and Sandy Alcantara keep surfacing as more realistic paths if the Cubs decide to make their move. [Read more 🡒]