Chicago Cubs named “best-fit” for Angels pitcher with 3.68 ERA, and they should pounce

The Chicago Cubs just got out of a 12-game stretch that should have seen them make up some much-needed ground in the National League Central Division. This stretch saw them play four series, two each against the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies, two of the worst teams in the National League.

The Cubs went 6-6.

While they won each of the past two series, they lost the previous two. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals continued their winning ways.

If Chicago is to make some noise in the NL Central, they are going to need to get some reinforcements.

The Chicago Cubs should look into Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers

While there is much that can be said for how inconsistent many Cubs hitters have been, the fact of the matter is that their most glaring need is pitching, both in the starting rotation and bullpen.

Indeed, injuries have taken their toll on the entire pitching staff, and ESPN recently named Chicago a best fit for Los Angeles Angeles lefty Reid Detmer:

“Because it’s the Angels, after taking Detmers with the 10th pick in the 2020 draft and seeming to be on the verge of becoming a strong third-starter type, they moved him to the bullpen for a year in 2025 only to just put him right back where he was in the rotation in 2024.

“The knock earlier in Detmers’ career was that his breaking stuff wasn’t crisp enough. But to his credit, he has steadily improved the velo/movement of his slider over the years while moving his softer curveball to be more of a sometimes pitch and adding velo to his now plus fastball.”

So far in 2026, Detmers is 3-5 with a 3.68 ERA. He also has 100 strikeouts, the fourth-most in Major League Baseball. But on top of that, he also has two more seasons of club control beyond 2026. This makes him a much more attractive trade target than, say, Tarik Skubal, who will be a free agent at the end of the year and cost more in prospects to acquire.

Simply put, Chicago has done a terrible job building up pitching depth within its organization. A team cannot plan on all five, or even seven, of its preferred starters staying healthy for an entire season anymore. Adding Detmers would not only help the Cubs now, but also give them an extra arm in the short-term future.

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