The Angels’ trade deadline picture is getting clearer, and Reid Detmers is right in the middle of it.
With John Mozeliak now having a better read on the organization, there’s growing belief that Los Angeles could be willing to move starting pitchers Jose Soriano and Detmers before the 2026 trade deadline. Mozeliak has also begun to sound like a man who could remain part of the Angels’ future, even if he is not the general manager by title. His comments about reshaping the front office point to someone who may still hold real influence beyond this season.
That matters because an interim general manager is often in a tough spot when deadline season arrives. A full teardown can be awkward if that person knows he may not be around much longer.
But if Mozeliak’s role is secure, the Angels may be the team setting the tone rather than waiting to react. That doesn’t guarantee both Soriano and Detmers are dealt, but it does make it easier to see at least one of them moving.
Detmers, for his part, didn’t sound rattled by the possibility.
“I try not to think about it,” Detmers said. “It's obviously pretty hard to try to ignore, but at the same time, it is what it is.
Like, there's not a whole lot I can do. Right now, I'm here and my focus is on being here and helping the team win.”
That answer says something about the clubhouse, too. With all the noise that has followed the Angels in recent years, it would have been easy to imagine the uncertainty creeping in. Instead, Detmers’ comments suggest the group has kept its footing.
And in this case, the backdrop is hard to ignore: a general manager who has already been fired, a manager who is going to be fired, and an owner who may not exactly care about the results on the field. Add in a fan base that routinely calls for the team to be sold, and it would not have been surprising if Detmers sounded eager to get out.
He didn’t. He said the right things, and for now, the Angels’ deadline story keeps circling back to whether one of their starters is next.
In Other News...
Angels May Finally Be Ready To Fix A Problem Fans Know Too Well
The Angels have spent plenty of seasons trying to patch over the same old issue behind the plate, and this winter looks like another chance to finally address it in a more lasting way. Logan OHoppe has not given the club the offensive or defensive return it expected, and while the system does include catcher-capable prospects, the organization may be ready to pursue a more established answer rather than keep waiting for internal development to solve everything.
With the front office in transition, the search for a long-term catcher figure to be one of the clearest priorities. There is still a path that keeps the current pipeline intact, but the more interesting possibility is a trade market that could bring in a young option with more staying power, which would mark a meaningful shift for a team that has spent too long living with uncertainty at a premium position. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Face A Familiar Deadline Test With One Costly Veteran Bat
The Angels are again staring at a deadline that could push them toward selling, and one veteran bat stands out as the likeliest piece to move. Jorge Soler has not delivered the kind of season that would make him easy to shop, but his status as an expiring contract keeps him in the conversation as the front office weighs whether to turn a short-term asset into something useful for the future.
Solers market is complicated by the fact that he has underperformed and still carries enough salary to make any deal tricky. Even so, the Angels have been linked to a broader deadline picture that includes interest in arms and younger pieces such as Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano and Zach Neto, which makes Soler feel like the type of veteran who could be moved if the club decides to lean into the market rather than fight it. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Tried To Pry Mike Trout From The Angels Again
The Red Sox have already taken a swing at Mike Trout before, according to a report from Bob Nightengale, and the idea alone says plenty about how Boston views the Angels star. Trout remains one of the biggest names in the sport, even as the conversation around him has shifted from what he once was to whether another club could ever realistically pry him away from Anaheim.
Boston is still looking around the Angels orbit, too, with Zach Neto now on its radar and Washington shortstop CJ Abrams also drawing interest. But Trout looks like a long shot at best this season, thanks to his no-trade clause and the Angels reluctance to move him, which leaves the Red Sox chasing talent while the most eye-catching possibility stays mostly theoretical. [Read more 🡒]