Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers (48) throws during the second inning of a baseball game Athletics, Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Angels’ Jo Adell hits a two-run triple during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Angels’ Jo Adell (7) reacts after getting hit by a pitch during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Angels’ Oswald Peraza (2) reacts after hitting a one-run single during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Angels’ Jo Adell (7) slides into home plate to score as Athletics catcher Jonah Heim (15) readies to catch the ball during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Athletics starting pitcher Jack Perkins (50) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Angels, Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Angels’ Josh Lowe (3) slides into second base as Athletics second baseman Jeff McNeil, front left, waits to catch the ball during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe, left, Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Kirby Yates, right, react following the Los Angeles Angels’ victory over the Athletics during a baseball game Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Angels relief pitcher Kirby Yates reacts after throwing out the last batter on the Athletics during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
ANAHEIM — On John Mozeliak’s first day at Angel Stadium, he got to see what the Angels look like when they’re playing well.
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They put together a little bit of everything in a 5-2 victory over the A’s on Saturday night, their third victory in the last four games.
Starter Reid Detmers gave up two runs, and then four relievers shut out the A’s, including Kirby Yates picking up his 100th career save.
Jo Adell drove in two runs to continue his hot streak. Denzer Guzman knocked in the go-ahead run in the seventh. And Oswald Peraza and Logan O’Hoppe had clutch RBI hits in the eighth to provide a cushion for Yates.
Yates got the ball instead of Sam Bachman, who is currently the Angels’ top high-leverage reliever, because manager Kurt Suzuki had him work the eighth against the heart of the A’s order with a one-run lead.
Bachman retired dangerous Nick Kurtz to start the inning, but he still ended up loading the bases on a hit and two walks before escaping.
The Angels then added the insurance, setting up Yates for a routine save. He picked up his 99th save on May 23. Since then, he has blown a save and taken three losses, costing him the closer job.
It was the end of a game started by Detmers, who represents one of the biggest questions Mozeliak will face.
Detmers gave up two runs in 5⅔ innings. He now has a 3.88 ERA, including a 2.42 mark over his last seven games. He has struck out 51 and walked 12 in his last 44⅔ innings.
Detmers is 25 and under control for at least two more seasons, which means he could be one of the most coveted players on the market if the Angels decide to move him before the Aug. 3 deadline.
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Regardless of how far out of the race the Angels are now, if they trade for a pitcher who could help them in 2027 and 2028, it would be a significant shift in organizational thinking.
Mozeliak said in his introductory press conference earlier on Saturday that those decisions haven’t been made yet. So the questions will persist for the next month.
In the meantime, the better Detmers pitches, the more interesting the question will be.
The A’s have been the only team able to do anything with him over the past month. He has given up seven runs to the A’s in two starts and only five runs in the other five starts.
Detmers gave up a solo homer to Jonah Heim in the second inning. In the sixth, he gave up a run on a walk and two hits.
Detmers also struck out eight, and he threw 68 strikes and 31 balls. He induced 18 whiffs, his third-highest total of the season.
The game was 2-2 when Detmers came out. The only two runs were produced by another player who could be an intriguing trade candidate: Jo Adell.
Adell pulled a two-run triple down the left-field line in the fourth inning, one of his two extra-base hits in the game.
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Adell is now hitting .316 with an .886 OPS over his last 18 games.
More to come on this story.