Angels may be right to dig in as Reid Detmers case heads to arbitration

The Los Angeles Angels came to an agreement with several players to avoid arbitration, but one player they did not reach a deal with is left-handed pitcher Reid Detmers. The Angels may be wise to dig in on this case.

The gap in salary figures between the two sides is not that great as Detmer reportedly filed for $2.925 million while the Angels filed at $2.625 million. The two sides will surely resolve the minor dispute without much acrimony, but given Detmer's injury history and overall inconsistency in his career, he is far from a sure bet.

Angels wise to dig in on Reid Detmers' arbitration case

Detmers is set to rejoin LA's rotation next season after a sojourn in the bullpen in 2025. The 26-year-old did well as a reliever as he posted a 3.96 ERA in 61 appearances and 63 and 2/3 innings pitched. He recorded 80 strikeouts and walked 25 so the stuff is clearly there and his command was solid.

However, a bigger question will be how healthy he can remain in 2026 if indeed he is a starter. Detmers was shut down in September of 2025 due to some elbow and forearm issues which is always a cause for alarm.

Thankfully, no structural damage was found so he should be alright coming into 2026 but elbow issues always have a tendency to pop up again so that will be something to keep an eye on as he moves forward.

Even assuming he stays healthy, it is still a major question as to whether he can be an effective starter in 2026 for the Halos. His two best seasons in the rotation were in 2022 and 2023 when he had a collective 4.15 ERA in 53 starts and, of course, had a no-hitter at the age of 22.

While that no-no seemed to portend great thing to come, he just has not been able to live up to the expectations that came with it. His last time as a starter was in 2024 and it was ugly as he had a 6.70 ERA in 17 starts which earned him a trip back to the minors.

There are other question marks in the Angels' rotation heading into 2026, but Detmers may very well be the biggest X-factor. The Angels understand the risk which is why they did not agree on terms for a deal showing they may have some trepidation given his injuries and lack of consistency throughout his career.