5 bold predictions for the Angels 2024 season

3) Reid Detmers breaks out and makes his first MLB All-Star Game appearance

Reid Detmers' 2023 season was full of ups and downs. He had starts when he was clearly on and hard to hit, and he had other starts when he clearly did not have it. Remember the no-hit bid he had in Texas through 7.1 innings? Remember when he went toe-to-toe with Clayton Kershaw at Angel Stadium with seven scoreless innings? Those were days that he clearly had it from the start.

As good as those starts were, Detmers had many blow-ups as well. The southpaw had three different starts in which he allowed seven earned runs. Not only do outings like those practically guarantee a loss for the Angels, but they ruin his stats as well. Detmers might've had an ugly 4.48 ERA in his 28 starts, but it would've been a lot better without those blow-ups.

Detmers showed he's capable of pitching like an all-star by posting a 2.41 ERA in his last seven starts. Small sample sure, but he had another seven-start span from late-May to early-July in which he posted a 2.59 ERA. He's done this in spurts throughout his career, it's all about consistency. Hopefully new pitching coach Barry Enright can help him get consistent.

Nobody has ever questioned Detmers' talent, because it's always been there. He's had excellent stretches before. If he can find a way to limit the awful starts, he can make a real push at being an AL All-Star.