The Arizona Diamondbacks’ biggest need has become increasingly difficult to ignore.

If the team hopes to make a deep postseason run, its current starting rotation is unlikely to provide enough stability.

Injuries have forced Arizona to rely heavily on inexperienced pitchers, while simply waiting for reinforcements to return represents a significant risk given the uncertainty surrounding several important starters.

Merrill Kelly has posted a 4.86 ERA in 109.1 innings across 19 starts while continuing to battle inconsistent command.

Zac Gallen has also struggled when healthy. His 6.34 ERA was the worst among qualified starting pitchers, another indication of how dramatically Arizona’s rotation has underperformed this season.

There are significant questions surrounding the rest of the staff as well.

Ryne Nelson may not be able to fully build his workload back up, while Corbin Burnes is not expected to return until September as he recovers from Tommy John surgery and a right shoulder injury. Michael Soroka continues making progress, but there remains no timetable for his return.

Once Burnes is cleared to pitch again, there is no guarantee he will immediately regain his previous effectiveness after such a lengthy recovery. The same uncertainty applies to Soroka.

Together, those circumstances leave the Diamondbacks facing an obvious problem as the trade deadline approaches.

Arizona needs starting pitching, perhaps more urgently than help anywhere else on the roster.

Someone who could provide a potential solution is Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers.

Detmers has a 4.03 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 125 innings over 22 starts this season. He’s recorded 145 strikeouts against 38 walks. He gives interested teams an established starter who can immediately step into a rotation.

According to Sam Blum from The Athletic, Detmers could also be one of the most valuable players available before the deadline.

Blum explained that Detmers possesses ace potential and more than two additional years of team control, making him particularly appealing as a change-of-scenery candidate.

While the Angels are under no obligation to move him, they need to trade some players, and Detmers could represent one of their most logical options.

“Detmers is arguably one of the most valuable trade chips on the market. He has two-plus years of team control, with ace potential. Teams will view him as an elite change of scenery option. The Angels don’t need to trade him. But they need to trade some players, and Detmers arguably makes the most sense,” Blum wrote.

For Arizona, that combination would make him especially attractive.

Rather than acquiring a short-term rental, the Diamondbacks would be adding a pitcher capable of helping immediately while remaining part of their rotation beyond this season.

Detmers possesses many of the qualities teams seek when evaluating starters with untapped potential.

His ability to miss bats gives him a foundation that can translate against difficult lineups. And his experience as an MLB starter means he would not need to learn the demands of a rotation role.

The left-hander has also shown resilience while navigating periods of inconsistency throughout his career. That experience can be valuable for a pitcher entering a new environment, particularly one joining a team in the middle of a postseason race.

A change of scenery could also provide Detmers with an opportunity to refine his approach under different coaches and within a new organizational philosophy.

His combination of experience, durability, swing-and-miss ability, and remaining upside makes him more than a temporary solution.

For a Diamondbacks team facing considerable uncertainty throughout its rotation, Detmers could provide both immediate stability and another potential building block for the future.

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