With a top-heavy starting pitcher free-agent market, Reid Detmers is an intriguing trade option the Mets should consider. In a recent article for The Athletic, Tim Britton and Will Sammon listed Detmers as a pitcher who could become available.

The 27-year-old is coming off the best season of his career, pitching to a 3.36 ERA across 185 innings. His 211 strikeouts ranked seventh among starting pitchers in 2026 and are a career high.

He's under team control for two more seasons and would pair well with Zac Thornton as the two left- handers in the starting rotation. Currently, Sean Manaea fits that second lefty role, and after his inconsistency and injury history, it's hard to imagine him as anything more than depth or as a long man in the bullpen.

After adding to a beleaguered farm system at the trade deadline, there might be some hesitation for David Stearns to trade prospects, especially considering how that worked out for him with Freddy Peralta. However, Detmers isn't on an expiring deal and wouldn't be expected to be an ace like Peralta was, so what could a potential deal look like?

Who could the Angels want from Mets?

For starters, young, controllable pitching would have to go back to Los Angeles in this deal. The Angels don't spend much, so replacing Detmers in the short term would be hard. Thus, there is a need for a young arm that wouldn't need to be paid for a long time.

Jonah Tong would likely be on their radar, and while the Mets value him, he's not a guaranteed member of the rotation like Thornton. Tong has had a very up-and-down professional career, but the potential remains, especially since he's still just 23 years old.

Detmers is more of a sure thing for 2027, while also having the chance to be a part of the team's future plans. He's still very much in his prime and brings six seasons of big-league experience to a rotation full of guys who are just getting their careers started.

Bruin Agbayani could also be a part of the deal. The son of Benny, Bruin was sent to the Mets from the Twins as part of the A.J. Minter trade. He's a 19-year-old shortstop/second baseman who has impressed scouts with his bat and speed on the basepaths.

The problem for the Mets is that the middle infield is jammed with prospects, and Agbayani could be the odd man out. The team's top prospect, Jefferson Rojas, projects as a second baseman, along with Elian Peña, who could be the Mets' future shortstop, as well as Mitch Voit, Wandy Asigen, and Sammy Stafura, among others.

Agbayani would be the developmental throw-in part of this trade, but his value should not be discounted. He has real potential and could flourish in a farm system that isn't stuffed with middle infielders.

How could this fit in the bigger picture of the offseason?

Trading for Detmers would eliminate the need to sign a secondary-level starter and allow Stearns to focus solely on bringing in an ace. The obvious headliner is Tarik Skubal, but Clay Holmes would also be a welcome candidate, as would Michael King, both proven New York pitchers.

No matter which direction is chosen, Detmers is the perfect No. 3 starter. Nolan McLean would fit as one of the best No. 2 starters in baseball, with Thornton and Christian Scott filling the back end.

If there ends up being some version of a salary cap in the new CBA, saving money by not having to sign an additional starter could be important. That's not a reason to make the move, but it's a secondary benefit ahead of what could be heavy financial constraints for the Mets and other big-market teams could face.

Stearns will have to make some big moves to address the rotation this offseason, and Detmers is a worthwhile option to explore. It would allow for the top three starters to all be ace-level, the kind of depth that would come in handy when inevitable injuries happen, and allow them to hang with the best rotations in the sport.