Alex Anthopoulos and the Atlanta Braves had already made it very clear that they were working diligently to trade for a starting pitcher, and the sooner, the better. At the time, their eyes were specifically on the end of June, where the Braves have a lengthy stretch without a day off to try and navigate. Now, after Spencer Strider's injury, that search has a new sense of urgency, and trade targets are already beginning to emerge.
Trying to swing a trade in June is very difficult, as every team is still technically "in it" and even the bad teams don't want to send a signal to their fans so early that they are giving up on the season. That doesn't exactly help summer ticket sales. However, one team whose fanbase is already dead inside and who could use an infusion of minor league talent is the Angels, and they just so happen to have (in all likelihood) Reid Detmers available in trade talks.
Braves should turn to familiar trade partner in the Angels to see if a deal for Reid Detmers can be worked out
Calling up the Angels just makes sense in a vacuum. Anthopoulos and LA general manager Perry Minasian are very familiar with one another going back to the latter's time as one of Anthopoulos' top lieutenants with the Braves, and the teams have made multiple trades in recent years. That familiarity would make any deal between the two sides that much easier to work through, although that does not mean the Angels are going to just let Atlanta get their way.
While Detmers isn't as sexy a name as Joe Ryan or Sandy Alcantara as a trade target, he might end up fitting the Braves' mold uniquely well. While he has hovered around a 4 ERA the last two seasons, his combined FIP of 2.98 since the start of 2025 implies that he has been the victim of some bad luck on balls in play in addition to having a crummy defense behind him.
Detmers is also quite good at finishing hitters himself with an 11.0 K/9 over the same span. More importantly, Detmers would also come with two years of team control beyond 2026, which is right up Anthopoulos' alley.
Of course, that increased amount of team control would come with an increased price tag. The Braves may also have some hesitation with Detmers' likely high price and demand, given that he missed time in 2025 with elbow inflammation. However, there are a lot more reasons to at least be curious about Detmers than to take him off the table. Unless the Angels immediately demand that the Braves give up Eric Hartman in addition to a swath of other prospects for Detmers, Anthopoulos needs to at least kick the tires.
Add us as a preferred source on Google