Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto may be on the move this summer.
The Angels have a suitor for Neto if the team looks to deal the infielder ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. The Boston Red Sox reportedly have renewed interested in Neto, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon.
Neto’s availability remains unclear, though, as owner Arte Moreno and interim general manager John Mozeliak may not want to part ways with a player under club control for three more years.
Boston pursued the 25-year-old last winter, but their efforts were evidently unsuccessful. But, the Angels no longer have Perry Minasian in the front office after he was relieved of his duties at the end of June, which could open the door for the Red Sox to acquire the young dual threat.
The Red Sox are coming off an improbable 15-game win streak that tied the franchise record, transforming Boston from seller to buyers this summer. The middle infield is an area that the Red Sox are looking to address at the deadline.
During the win streak, Boston played Andruw Monasterio and Tsung-Che Cheng at shortstop, neither of whom are everyday infielders.
Neto is hitting .238 with 19 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a OPS of .772 across 395 at-bats. The Angels star also has 13 stolen bags on the season.
Since the start of the 2024 season, Neto has 68 home runs and 69 stolen bases.
The Red Sox already having a starting shortstop in Trevor Story, but he hasn’t played since May. The former All-Star is expected to begin a rehab assignment next month, but age and injury still pose a lot of questions. Meanwhile, Neto presents a younger and more cost-effective option for the team.
The only problem? Moreno has a history of retaining players under long-term control rather than trading them away. The Angels may not want to kickstart a rebuild by letting go of Neto and that would certainly fall in line with how the organization has operated in recent years.
