Yankees vs Angels Preview: Reid Detmers’ Home Numbers Are LA's Secret Weapon

Reid Detmers brings his elite home splits to the mound. Can he protect Angel Stadium and help LA hand Yankees breakout ace Cam Schlittler a rare loss?

Aug 28, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers (48) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The best night to buy a ticket if you are an Angels fan is when Reid Detmers is on the mound. The Angels southpaw has been simply dominant at home this year, routinely giving his club a legitimate chance to win. He will need to keep that level of excellence up tonight to give the Angels an opportunity to win a game started by Yankees breakout star Cam Schlitter.

The Cam Schlittler Problem: Solvability of the Yankees Breakout Ace

Jul 9, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlitter (31) is taken out of the game against the Seattle Mariners in the sixth inning by manager Aaron Boone (17) at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Schlittler is having an amazing sophomore season that should result in a Cy Young Award. He has produced 5.9 bWAR on the strength of 201 strikeouts and a 2.09 ERA through 163.2 innings. According to ERA+ the Yankees right hander is twice as good as the average MLB pitcher; relievers included.

Scoring off Schlittler will not be easy but the 25 year old is showing some minor kinks in his armor lately. He is averaging 5.1 innings per start over his last five appearances and issued an unusual 5 walks in 5.1 innings against Boston in his last start.

Perhaps the 163 innings are starting to take their toll on him. In 2024 he threw 120 minor league innings and last year threw 149.2 frames between AAA and the big leagues. But he is in new territory, walking a few more batters than usual, and leaving games earlier.

The Angels are not a very patient team but if hitters like Mike Trout and Wade Meckler can drive up his pitch count a bit, the Angels might be able to get Schlittler out of the game early enough to have a chance to win.

Reid Detmers’ Angel Stadium Dominance: The Splits Don't Lie

Aug 15, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers (48) is greeted by center fielder Mike Trout (27) after completing the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Some players love home cooking and Detmers must have a great kitchen setup. He has been simply dominant at home and even better as of late. On the year, opponents are hitting a measly .202 against Detmers in Anaheim and he has 106 strikeouts in 15 games.

After being kept on the team after the trade deadline fire sale, Detmers caught fire at home. In August the Angels ace pitched 20 innings at the Big A with an ERA of 1.50 and a microscopic WHIP of 0.875. He punched out 19 batters and only allowed 2 earned runs.

Detmers will need to keep his dominant home performances going as the calendar flips to September. But if he does, he will again give the Angels a chance to win the game.

Blueprint for an Upset: How LA Steals a Win From New York

The best way to beat Cam Schlittler is to not have to face Cam Schlittler. If the Angels can get him out of the game in the fifth or sixth inning that will make the Yankees use multiple relievers to close out the game. The Angels only need one of them to have a bad game. Yes, the Yankees bullpen ranks at the top of the game but every bullpen has some weaker links for the middle innings.

This plan only works if Reid Detmers again goes deep into the game and limits the damage. Last Friday he shut down a higher powered Phillies lineup and left the game with a lead. The Angels bullpen blew the game, but the Angels had a chance to win.

With Schlittler and Detmers on the mound expect runs to be at a premium. It is safe to assume both starting pitchers will do a good job. But if Detmers can do his job for an inning or two longer than Schlittler, that likely gives the Angels a chance to pull off an upset.