The Los Angeles Angels aren't winning many games, and young shortstop Zach Neto landed on a candidate list ahead of this year's MLB trade deadline.
The Los Angeles Angels are more than likely not going to be making the playoffs this season as their postseason drought continues.
At some point, the Angels need a complete overhaul, but who knows when that will take place.
With the MLB trade deadline coming up on August 3, some players in Anaheim might make a lot of sense to be traded.
We previously identified five Angels who could be shipped out, and the situation with Mike Trout seems unlikely unless the All-Star slugger asks ownership for a change of scenery.
Reid Detmers is gaining steam lately in the trade circles, but another name has been mentioned by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.
That is shortstop Zach Neto. Yes, the 25-year-old being named a trade candidate might have many scratching their heads, especially since he is young and is controllable due to his contract.
However, Feinsand reveals why Neto was on his list.
"Trading a 25-year-old shortstop might seem counterintuitive, but Los Angeles doesn’t have a ton of trade chips to cash in, so moving Neto might be a key to bringing back a haul of young players. Neto is earning $4.5 million this season, but is arbitration-eligible for three more years, offering the type of control teams covet," Feinsand wrote.
The Angels aren't going anywhere this season, unless the biggest comeback in recent memory takes place.
The fact that Neto is arbitration-eligible should be very appealing for other teams, and that could land the Angels a massive package in return for the young shortstop.
On the other hand, trading Neto would essentially signal that the franchise aims to finally scrap it down and go through a massive rebuild. If that is the case, Trout would also make sense to be moved.
Neto is hitting just .220 this season, but he has 13 home runs with 32 RBI and 48 runs scored and is consistently in the lineup for the Angels.
Feinsand also had Detmers on the same list, but the pitcher being mentioned as a trade candidate isn't entirely new.
At this rate, it isn't a matter of when or if. But, it is a matter of who the Angels trade and what they get in return.
The deadline is still six weeks away, so it might take time for things to materialize as teams across the league explore the market and see what they want to do this season.
