The New York Yankees desperately need help in their bullpen. And they need it fast. Luckily for manager Aaron Boone and the pitching staff, reinforcements should be on the way with the trade deadline less than three days away.
The Yankees addressed their most significant need by acquiring infielders Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario in trades, but the bullpen’s woes are now the primary focus.
Will general manager Brian Cashman make a big splash for Jhoan Duran of the Minnesota Twins, or will he turn his attention to overlooked relievers on the trade market? Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer sees the Yankees as a potential fit for left-hander Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels.
Reid Detmers’s Improved Performance in the Bullpen
Still just 26, Detmers experienced plenty of struggles in the Angels’ starting rotation in 2024, posting a 6.70 ERA with a 1.557 WHIP in 17 starts. His inconsistencies led to a mid-season demotion to Triple-A Salt Lake last June.
“Reid Detmers had brushes with greatness as a starter, including with a no-hitter in 2022 and as one of the top performers of last April,” wrote Rymer.
“But the bullpen is his home now, and not undeservedly on account of his career 4.99 ERA as a starter. It’s also just plain proven to be an effective transition, and even more so than his 3.99 ERA lets on.”
Currently, the New York Yankees’ two lefties in their bullpen are Brent Headrick and Tim Hill. Hill leads the American League with 51 appearances in 2025, and Headrick has bounced back and forth between the Major Leagues and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Adding Detmers would give New York its hardest-throwing lefty option out of the bullpen.
“His [Detmers] velocity has ticked up by nearly two mph, from 93.8 mph in 2024 to 95.6 mph this year. His slider has also become more of a lethal weapon, drawing whiffs 42.1 percent of the time,” wrote Rymer.
“The southpaw is also on a two-month binge of untouchability, with 29 appearances since May 20 yielding a 1.24 ERA and 40 strikeouts over 29.0 innings. And while right-handed batters do own all four home runs off him, they’ve gotten on base at only a .307 clip in the process.”
Why This Deal Makes Sense for the Yankees and Angels
With three years of control remaining on Detmer’s contract, the Angels may hesitate to trade the starter turned reliever.
However, the New York Yankees have several pitching prospects that may pique the interest of Los Angeles, including Mississippi State University standout Cade Smith and lefty Kyle Carr. Just four years ago, the Angels selected pitchers in all 20 rounds of the 2021 MLB Draft. Is their focus still on developing pitchers, or would they prefer to stockpile position players, hoping that at least a few of those 20 picks progress to MLB-level talents?
The Yankees may be the most obvious team in need of better bullpen arms. Given Detmer’s recent success as a relief pitcher, taking a flier on a former first-round draft pick may be right up pitching coach Matt Blake’s alley.
Adding multiple arms is more of a need than a want for the Yankees, and Detmers may be a great start.
Yankees Trade Proposal Lands Angels’ ‘Hidden Gem’