The four days between starts can seem particularly long for starting pitchers who are eager to redeem themselves after a poor performance on the mound. Such is the case for both Reid Detmers and Michael Wacha, who will face each other Thursday night when the Los Angeles Angels host the Kansas City Royals in Anaheim, Calif.
Detmers, the Angels’ left-hander, will try to rediscover the success he had early in the season when he was 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in his first four starts. But in his last three starts, he’s 0-3 with an 8.15 ERA.
Of particular note, Detmers (3-3, 4.24 ERA) has surrendered five home runs in 17 2/3 innings in those three most recent starts, compared to zero homers allowed in 22 2/3 innings of his first four starts.
Three of those home runs came in his last start last Saturday against Cleveland, but Detmers seemed more irritated with his four walks, including three that came in one inning alone.
Those three walks preceded a game-changing grand slam by Cleveland’s Bo Naylor.
“It was a poor performance,” Detmers said. “I don’t have any other explanation. I just didn’t execute very well. I was feeling good and the two homers before that hurt but I didn’t think much of it. But the three walks in the sixth can’t happen. And they made me pay.”
Detmers is 0-0 with a 5.91 ERA in two career starts against the Royals.
“It’s frustrating,” Detmers said. “It comes down to execution, I guess. That’s baseball. I have to live and learn. We’re going to get over this, we’re going to get past this. We just have to take it start-by-start and I’m looking forward to (Thursday) and a new challenge.”
Royals right-hander Wacha (1-4, 5.50) has struggled most of the season, with his only win coming against the lowly Chicago White Sox — a seven-inning, scoreless effort on April 6.
His most recent start was his worst of the season, when the Texas Rangers tagged him for seven runs in 3 2/3 innings last Saturday. Wacha said his issue is falling behind early in counts, allowing hitters to sit on his fastball.
“Whenever I throw the fastball in those counts, they’re ready for it,” Wacha said. “I’m not getting the swing and miss I’d like to get. But that comes with being in better counts. Staying on the attack. And being able to have a good mix where I’m throwing strikes with all my pitches.”
Wacha has been dominant against the Angels in his career, going 3-0 with a 0.44 ERA in three starts, including a shutout while pitching for the Red Sox in 2022.
The Angels’ 5-4 win over the Pirates on Wednesday marked just their second series win of the season; the only other series win coming April 1-3 in a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins.
The Royals beat the Brewers 6-4 on Wednesday, taking two of three in the series.
–Field Level Media
