Angels’ Reid Detmers continues to struggle in blowout loss to Astros – Press Enterprise

HOUSTON — A few days before Reid Detmers took the mound against the Houston Astros, Phil Nevin spoke confidently about the work he’d done in between starts.

So much for that.

Detmers gave up seven runs in the Angels’ 11-3 loss to the Astros on Friday night, continuing a slump that has left the team searching for answers for the 24-year-old left-hander.

Detmers has a 10.30 ERA in his last six starts, lifting his season ERA to 5.27. It’s been a discouraging step back for a pitcher who threw a no-hitter on his way to a 3.77 ERA last year.

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When Nevin and general manager Perry Minasian have been asked about Detmers lately, their answers both included a reference how young he is. A first-round pick in 2020, Detmers has started 51 games in the majors.

On Wednesday, Nevin said Detmers had worked with pitching coach Matt Wise on having “a different mindset,” that included “not trying to strike everybody out.”

“You have some struggles, and you’re going to try to do too much to get out of it,” Nevin said on Wednesday. “Get back to basics of what made him successful.”

As recently as June, Detmers seemed to have turned his season around, allowing just five runs in a span of five starts.

Since then, though, in his best starts he’s gotten knocked out early by his pitch count, and in his worst ones by too many hits and runs.

Detmers got through the first inning on Friday, working around a hit and a walk. He took the mound in the second with a 1-0 lead after C.J. Cron hit a homer, but he gave it back quickly.

Detmers gave up back-to-back singles to start the inning and then he threw a 2-and-0 fastball over the inside corner and Jon Singleton smoked it over the right field fence.

Detmers then gave up a single, a double and a walk before finally getting the first out of the inning.

He allowed five runs in the first, and then two more when he gave up another homer to Singleton, this time on a slider off the inside corner. That ended his night with the Angels down 7-2.

If the Angels want to try something else with Detmers — optioning him or sending him to the bullpen — they have Griffin Canning available. Canning is on the injured list because of calf tightness, but the Angels and Canning said he’s ready to pitch in a game. The only question was whether it would be a rehab game or a major league game.

The Angels also could skip this rotation spot entirely because of an off day next Thursday.

After Detmers was out of the game, left-hander Kenny Rosenberg and worked the five innings of mop-up duty to preserve the bullpen for the rest of the trip.

More to come on this story.