What could have been Reid Detmers' last start as an Angel ends in 3-2 loss to Astros

ANAHEIM, Calif. – In his final start before the trade deadline and what could have been his last start as an Angel, Reid Detmers impressed yet again. 

Detmers went five innings against the Houston Astros on Tuesday while allowing two earned runs on four hits and one walk while striking out nine. He was nearly flawless save for two mistake pitches, one to Yordan Alvarez in the first inning and another to Christian Walker in the fourth, both of which turned into solo home runs. 

But no matter how Detmers performed, the thought that surrounded his five innings on the bump were of the deadline. Detmers has been one of the most highly discussed trade targets this season, especially given the state of the Angels' season, but he was doing his best to drown out the noise. 

Jon Bryan – The Sporting Tribune

The Los Angeles Angels Reid Detmers #48 pitches during an MLB game against The Houston Astros on July 28th, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

Staying focused despite rumors

"You see all the stuff. It's impossible to go on social media and not see it. It is what it is," Detmers said. "I know my job is to go out every five days and give it my all and give the team the best chance to win, and so that's where my head is. Whatever they decide to do, that's what it is."

It's been a streaky season for the Angels' southpaw, part of the reason his ERA has sat above 4.00 most of the season, but in his first three starts since the All-Star Break Detmers has been sharp once again and shown off the potential that is precisely why he's become such a prized trade target. 

Detmers has always had above average stuff, with both his slider and curveball being especially impressive, but Angels manager Kurt Suzuki credits Detmers' dominance since the break, where he has combined for three earned runs in three starts, to his execution with his raw stuff. 

Execution is everything

"I thought the execution's been better," Suzuki said. "Attacking the zone, not falling behind too much… His stuff's there. His stuff's always good… I think it's the execution and attacking the strike zone."

But as sharp as Detmers was, a recurring theme in his last three starts has been paltry run support from the Angels offense, something that happened again on Tuesday. 

Jon Bryan – The Sporting Tribune

The Los Angeles Angels Reid Detmers #48 pitches during an MLB game against The Houston Astros on July 28th, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

The Angels mustered just two runs, going 2-6 with runners in scoring position while leaving eight runners on base. 

With how impressive Detmers and the four subsequent relievers that followed him through the eighth inning were, that was enough to at least tie the game. 

But three hits allowed by Mitch Farris in the ninth were enough to drive in one run to give the Astros back a 3-2 lead that proved to be enough to win the game, and it was Alvarez who delivered again. 

To Walk or not to walk Alvarez

In Monday night's ninth inning meltdown loss, Suzuki elected to walk Alvarez to load the bases in an effort to avoid the Astros slugger. But on Tuesday, they went after him, with Suzuki saying after the game that he was trusting in Farris' command to keep any meaningful pitches away from Alvarez and to simply just walk him if Farris fell behind in the count.

To Farris' credit, his first pitch to Alvarez was out of the zone, but Houston's OBP leader reached down and ripped it into center field to drive in what became the winning run for Houston.

"We were going down and away and I didn't execute it the best… It was a ball below the zone, so it could be his hot spot, but it's a ball. He's a good player, got to give it to him [Alvarez]," Farris said. 

The Angels, like the rest of the league, are heading into a period of change in the next few days, but at least for Tuesday night, Detmers could be relied on, if maybe for the last time.