After narrowly surviving trade deadline rumors, the struggling shortstop moves to the cleanup spot as tension mounts between the young star and the Angels' front office.
The Los Angeles Angels have made many changes in the past week, the most obvious of which came before Monday’s trade deadline. Several major leaguers were shipped out, and several prospects were brought in, but manager Kurt Suzuki and the Angels are keeping things moving in Anaheim.
For Thursday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, the Angels’ lineup will have a new leadoff hitter in left fielder Wade Meckler. This means that shortstop Zach Neto will be put in a new spot, now batting in the four spot.
Neto’s change in the lineup comes after surviving a trade deadline that had him involved in many questions regarding his future at the club. As the deadline approached, it seemed more and more likely that Neto would be dealt to another team such as the Boston Red Sox, but the deadline passed and Neto remained with the Halos.
The 25-year-old has taken a slight step back from last season, recording a slash line of .228/.316/.419 with a .735 OPS. The biggest dip in Neto’s game from last season has come in the slugging department, with his xSLG dropping from .495 in 2025 to .395 this season.
Still, Neto remains one of the most valuable players on the Angels' roster, trailing only Mike Trout, Reid Detmers, and Wilbert Urena in bWAR at 2.5.
After surviving a deadline full of rumors and tension, Neto’s long-term future in Anaheim remains up in the air. When asked whether or not the front office has given him any assurances about building around him in the future, Neto remained vague.
“I’m not going to answer that,” he told reporter Rhett Bollinger before Thursday’s game.
It’s an uncomfortable answer for what is clearly an uncomfortable question for Neto. There’s likely some frustration or hard feelings towards the Angels front office after being made available prior to the deadline. Despite not becoming a free agent until after the 2029 season, Neto’s position as the Angels’ shortstop of the future is as cloudy as ever.
Interim general manager John Mozeliak listened to offers for Neto, along with Detmers, but admitted he “wasn’t comfortable” with any of the offers he received. This cloud is certain to follow Neto and the front office into the offseason, where both parties will have to decide whether they can get on the same page once again.
For now, Neto will remain a key player in the Halos’ lineup, albeit in a new spot after being moved down from the leadoff spot. Though the rest of the season doesn't matter much for the Angels, the relationship between Neto and the club is something to keep a close eye on.
