ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan selected Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers as the best trade candidate for the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Passan made the pick during a SportsCenter “MLB Trade Matchmaker” segment that aired and was shared widely on social media. In the roughly 2½-minute clip, Passan stood beside a large screen and matched available players to four contending teams.
He placed Detmers’ name and photo directly under the Cubs heading on the board. The segment also assigned Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman to the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Detmers, 27, has posted a 4.03 ERA across 22 starts this season with the Angels. He has recorded 145 strikeouts and owns a 3.36 FIP that ranks among the stronger marks for qualified starters. The left-hander remains under club control through the 2028 season and is earning $2.625 million this year.
That mix of current production, strikeout ability and remaining arbitration years has positioned him as one of the more attractive controllable arms potentially available.
The Cubs have battled extensive pitching injuries throughout the 2026 season. Justin Steele, Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown have all missed significant time, thinning the rotation at critical points. Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga have served as anchors, while Jameson Taillon recently returned from the injured list and was quickly DFA’d due to performance issues.
Chicago remains in the National League playoff picture despite the health setbacks and is expected to pursue starting pitching help before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Multiple reports earlier this week confirmed that both the Cubs and Chicago White Sox have shown interest in Detmers. The Angels sit well out of contention in the American League West after a disappointing campaign.
Interim general manager John Mozeliak is overseeing a club that could look to restock its farm system by dealing controllable talent. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has publicly emphasized the need for rotation depth for months.
A deal for Detmers would give Chicago a left-handed starter capable of contributing in the stretch run and for the next two-plus seasons. Passan’s matchmaker exercise arrives as trade discussions intensify leaguewide with only days remaining until the deadline.
Whether the Cubs and Angels can agree on a package of prospects remains to be determined. The high-profile selection has nonetheless fueled additional speculation about a possible move involving the two clubs.
Detmers’ underlying metrics, including a career-best walk rate in recent outings, have drawn attention from several contenders seeking more than a short-term rental.
For the Cubs, adding such an arm would address both immediate gaps and longer-term planning as they aim to stay competitive beyond this season.
