One Angels Pitcher Could Command a Bigger Haul Than the Two-Time Cy Young Winner

The trade market is starting to heat up around Tarik Skubal. The Detroit Tigers lefty has two straight American League Cy Young awards and just about every contender with deep pockets has called to ask what it would take. But there’s a wrinkle in the narrative that Skubal is the most valuable arm available.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, if the Los Angeles Angels made Reid Detmers available, they could demand a package bigger than anything the Tigers get for Skubal. That’s a bold claim given Skubal’s resume. But Nightengale laid out the math: Detmers has two more years of team control than Skubal and is making just $2.7 million this season.

The Angels right now are not expected to trade Detmers. They’re sitting in last place in the AL West with a 31-47 record, which is rough. But Detmers has been one of the few bright spots. He’s got a 3.68 ERA on the year with three wins, and his recent stretch has been something else entirely.

Detmers Is Dealing Right Now

Over his last three starts, Detmers went 1-0 with a 0.45 ERA. In 20 innings, he gave up six hits, one run, two walks and struck out 18 batters. MLB.com reported that over his past five starts he posted a 1.36 ERA with 39 strikeouts. Entering Friday, he had the fourth-lowest expected ERA among pitchers who have faced at least 250 batters. Only Jacob Misiorowski, Paul Skenes and Shohei Ohtani ranked ahead of him.

Detmers has been inconsistent in his career — he even spent all of 2025 in the bullpen — but the former top prospect is finally putting it together in 2026. That kind of breakout, combined with cheap team control, is the exact thing contenders drool over at the deadline.

Why Skubal Still Gets the Headlines

Skubal is the one everyone’s talking about right now. He just came back from an injury and hasn’t missed a beat. The guy has dominated the league for two seasons straight. But he’s also a rental. Whoever trades for him gets him for this postseason run and maybe a chance to extend him, but there’s no guarantee. That uncertainty lowers his ceiling a little compared to a guy like Detmers, who a team could keep for three playoff runs on a budget deal.

The Angels would be crazy to move him unless somebody blows them away. But if they did? The return might stun people.

The trade deadline is August 3.