PHOENIX — At this point, there’s no way to figure out Reid Detmers.
And that’s a good thing for the Angels.
Since allowing eight runs in a loss to the Athletics on May 19, Detmers has embarked on an impressive stretch that has seen him post a 1.36 ERA over his past five starts.
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Relying on a speed limit curveball that supplemented a sharp slider and reliable fastball, Detmers limited the Arizona Diamondbacks to three hits over seven innings and was supported by a 14-hit attack as the Angels coasted to a 7-0 victory on Tuesday night at Chase Field.
Detmers (3-5) pitched efficiently and rarely under duress. He allowed one hit through the first 5⅔ innings before Ketel Marte and Gerardo Perdomo collected consecutive hits.
Detmers, however, returned to form by starting off formidable Corbin Carroll with a slider, then fooled him with a 72.8 mph curveball for a second strike before putting him away with a 94.4 mph fastball to end the threat.
The victory was the fifth in seven games for the Angels (30-44), who are gradually showing signs of playing complete games.
Although the Angels remain considerable lengths behind in the American League wild card race, Detmers’ recent stretch provides them with a reason to build around him rather than entertain offers with the Aug. 3 trade deadline looming.
Detmers allowed three runs or fewer for the 12th time. He struck out only three but became the first Angels pitcher to strike out 100 within his first 15 games of a season since 2023 – when both he and Shohei Ohtani accomplished the feat. He’s walked only one batter in his last 20 innings.
After allowing a single to Adrian Del Castillo to start the second, Detmers completed a 10-pitch at-bat by inducing him to ground into a double play. That started the first of 10 consecutive batters retired by Detmers until Marte’s single.
The offense’s 14 hits against the Diamondbacks (37-36) were two shy of their season high. Logan O’Hoppe had three hits, and Mike Trout hit his 17th home run.
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The biggest breakout, however, came from Zach Neto, who reinforced Manager Kurt Suzuki’s decision to keep him in the leadoff spot despite a 4-for-30 slump.
Neto cranked a 2-and-0 pitch off Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly for a solo home run in the third inning that traveled an estimated 421 feet to deep left.
About 90 minutes after Suzuki expressed his endorsement for keeping Neto in the leadoff spot, he gave him the green light by letting him swing at a 3-and-0 pitch, only for Neto to line out to Nolan Arenado at third.
Neto led off the fifth with a towering triple to center field and scored on Trout’s homer a few feet above where Neto’s triple caromed.
Suzuki stressed that dropping Neto from the leadoff spot had been discussed internally but that he represented the best option at the top of the order.
It also was important, Suzuki stressed, for Neto to continue to work out of slumps as he did in early May after going hitless in 18 at-bats.
Trout capped the scoring with a two-out RBI double in the sixth. The Angels were 5 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
Kirby Yates and Chase Silseth each pitched a scoreless inning to secure the Angels’ sixth shutout.
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More to come on this story.