Angels could cash in after Reid Detmers' trade deadline gamble

The Los Angeles Angels reportedly had a real offer on the table for Reid Detmers at the trade deadline, and they said no. That doesn’t mean they’re stuck in neutral or scared or anything like that. But they traded Jose Soriano and got back Arjun Nimmala, a consensus top-50 prospect, and more, and wanted a bigger offer than that for their ace.

What the Cubs reportedly offered for Detmers wasn’t close enough to that. He had drawn interest from at least four teams, and there was a reason why he was arguably the most attractive trade chip on the market heading into the deadline. But if they didn’t get what they wanted, they didn’t have to trade him. A couple of weeks later, betting on the value still rising looks like it’s paying off. 

Detmers is making the front office look smart

The package the Cubs floated was a three-prospect package headlined by Jefferson Rojas, one of their top prospects. It was less than what the Dodgers gave up for Tarik Skubal, which seems obvious on the surface, but the additional two years of control do make a difference. And if Soriano was worth Nimmala, Detmers certainly wasn’t going for less. With two more years of team control, there was no reason to sell Detmers at a discount, whereas there might have been some regression concern for Soriano.

His first start after the deadline made the decision look bad. He gave up three runs on four hits and only lasted four innings. Maybe his head was somewhere else after all of those rumors. Maybe it was just a bad start, but it validated the second-guessers. But his last two starts have been exactly what the Angels had hoped he’d do.

Five days after struggling against the Orioles, he gave up one run on three hits over six innings to the Rangers. Then five days later, he dominated the Royals, giving up just two hits over eight innings. He struck out 11, didn’t walk anyone, and needed just 92 pitches to do it. It was his first home win in his last 22 starts, and it was a dominant one. That’s not a fluke tacked on to a mediocre season. It’s a continuation of him pitching well before the deadline (and before the clunker). Since the break, he has a 1.83 ERA in six starts over 34.1 innings. He’s been excellent. 

The Angels were certainly not shy about trading away pieces. They moved Logan O’Hoppe, Soriano, Chase Silseth, Jo Adell, and Ryan Zeferjahn. The fact that they weren’t scared to move all of that talent but drew the line at Detmers showed how the front office viewed him moving forward.

So there’s a strong argument to build around him. There’s also a strong argument that a rebuilding team doesn’t need a 27-year-old lefty who is establishing himself as one of the better strikeout pitchers in the league. And if he keeps up what he’s doing, there’s a strong chance the return they get this winter dwarfs what the Cubs offered. They, along with the White Sox, Rays, and Brewers, were all engaged before the deadline. The deadline passing doesn’t mean negotiations just disappear into thin air. If anything, it could intensify if he continues to pitch like this. 

There is a trade-off to waiting. Had a team acquired Detmers at the deadline, they’d have had him for this year’s pennant race and two more. That’s three shots. But now any team acquiring him will only have him for two pennant races. Contenders often pay more at the deadline because they're so close to October. Calmer heads often prevail in the offseason, so it’s possible that waiting could cost the Angels. They’ll still get big offers, but maybe not as big.

But if he keeps doing exactly what he’s doing right now, which is missing bats and getting deeper into games, he’ll remind every team that passed on him in July what it’ll take to get him in November. Holding on to him at the deadline wasn’t necessarily about keeping a building block. It was more about making sure the eventual price tag aligns with how much they value Detmers.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow