If the Dodgers miss out on Tarik Skubal, Reid Detmers is the kind of name that could suddenly jump to the front of the line.
That’s the scenario floating around as the trade deadline nears, with the Angels and Dodgers once again linked in a rare potential cross-town deal. The two clubs don’t usually do business, but ESPN’s David Schoenfield predicted Friday that Los Angeles could land Detmers if Skubal doesn’t wind up in a Dodgers uniform.
Schoenfield wrote, “Detmers won't be easy to pry away from the Angels since he's under team control for two more years, and the Dodgers and Angels haven't made a significant trade since Andrew Heaney was traded for Howie Kendrick in 2014, but the Dodgers have the prospects the Angels need,”
He added, “The Angels need to put aside their cross-city envy and make the best deal for the organization.”
Detmers has become one of the more intriguing arms on the market because of the combination that always gets attention at this time of year: a young starter, years of club control, and swing-and-miss stuff. The Angels have two of the most coveted trade chips in the sport, and with starting pitching in high demand, both Detmers and right-hander José Soriano are drawing plenty of attention.
Detmers, in particular, has been mentioned more often in rumor chatter, and it’s easy to see why. He’s a lefty who misses bats, and that profile carries real value for contenders trying to line up October pitching.
The price won’t be small. A starter with multiple years of control after 2026 is going to cost plenty, but the Dodgers are one of the few teams that can probably meet that ask. They have multiple top 100 prospects and what’s described as arguably the strongest farm system in MLB.
From the Angels’ side, the fit is obvious too. The Dodgers need a starter who could take the ball in a playoff game, and Detmers checks that box.
He’s 3-7 with a 4.03 ERA, but the deeper numbers show why he’s so appealing. Detmers has a 1.10 WHIP and ranks among the best strikeout pitchers in baseball. His 145 strikeouts lead the Angels and rank ninth in MLB.
He’s also set career highs in opponent batting average at .214, on-base percentage at .276, slugging percentage at .364, OPS at .640 and walk rate at 7.4 percent.
In Other News...
Angels Deadline Could Be Headed In A Very Different Direction
The Angels have already made one move ahead of the deadline, and the next phase of their plan could look a lot different than many around the industry expected. According to reports from Katie Woo, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, some rival executives believe Los Angeles is more likely to move starting pitchers Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano, both of whom come with two years of team control, than shortstop Zach Neto, who has three years left before free agency.
That distinction matters because it hints at how the Angels may be valuing their core as they weigh the possibility of a broader reset. Neto has drawn interest from the Red Sox and Phillies, but the chatter around Detmers and Soriano suggests the club could be more willing to deal from the rotation if it decides to keep its young shortstop as part of the next version of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Suddenly Have A Deadline Trade Chip Contenders Want
The trade market can change quickly, and Jo Adell has suddenly become one of the more interesting names attached to the Angels as the deadline approaches. Philadelphia is reportedly checking in on the outfielder while also sorting through broader ideas to strengthen its roster, and that alone puts Adell in a category Los Angeles has not always been able to count on for July buzz. For the Angels, any outside interest in a young player with upside can at least create the kind of leverage front offices hope for this time of year.
The Phillies appetite for help is not limited to one path, either. Their scouts were recently seen at a Blue Jays series while the club has shown intrigue in a package that could involve Jeff Hoffman and Daulton Varsho, a player with family ties to Philadelphia. Even if that wider search ultimately leads them elsewhere, it underscores how active the market is around the Angels side of the conversation and why Adell is worth watching as the deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Fans Just Got A New Reason To Fear This Deadline
The Yankees are shaping up as one of the more interesting clubs to watch as the trade deadline approaches, and not just because their injury pileup has them thinking about upgrades. Theyre still trying to protect the top of the farm system, too, with shortstop George Lombard Jr. viewed as off limits in any talks, a sign that New York does not plan to shop its best young pieces lightly even if it gets aggressive on the big-league side.
One prospect drawing outside interest is Wilberson De Pea, who leads the Florida Complex League in home runs and was held out of a Single-A lineup for what was described as a scheduled day off. Multiple teams have already inquired about him in trade discussions, which only adds another layer to a deadline picture that could get busy fast if the Yankees decide they need more immediate help without touching their most prized names. [Read more 🡒]