The Boston Red Sox are in desperate need of lineup reinforcements as they look to build off their 15-game winning streak, which came to an end on Wednesday night. Among the positions Boston could target are second base or shortstop, where the team has used several players to little success. 

According to a new report from Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Boston Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow could look to acquire Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto in a trade deadline blockbuster. 

“The Sox, after expressing interest in the Los Angeles Angels shortstop last offseason, continue to view him as a strong fit, according to people briefed on their discussions but granted anonymity to speak freely,” wrote Rosenthal and Sammon on Thursday afternoon. 

The 25-year-old shortstop is in his fourth year at the big league level, where he has been one of the best young players at the position. 

Over the last two seasons, Neto has hit .253/.318/.458/.776 with 49 home runs, 63 doubles, and 139 RBI. His weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 115 ranks eighth among all qualified shortstops, while his fWAR of 6.7 ranks 12th-best. 

In 2026, Neto has hit .238/.326/.446/.772 with 19 home runs and 46 RBI. However, thanks to a 32.3 percent whiff rate and a 36.4 percent chase rate, he has struck out at a 31.5 percent rate, the ninth-highest among 146 qualified hitters and a 5.1 percent increase from 2025. 

Defensively, Neto’s two defensive runs saved is the sixth highest among shortstops. However, he struggles in the range department, posting -7 outs above average, which ranks 14th among the 17 qualified players. 

What makes Neto so valuable is the fact that he is under team control through the 2029 season, making an incredibly affordable $4.15 million in 2026. 

As noted by Rosenthal and Sammon, Boston was interested in acquiring Neto over the offseason; however, talks never materialized. 

However, since the offseason, Los Angeles has fired general manager Perry Minasian and, in the interim, replaced him with former St. Louis Cardinals head of baseball operations John Mozeliak. 

ESPN’s Jeff Passan ranked Neto as the sixth-best trade deadline candidate, giving him a 30 percent chance to get moved, with the Red Sox listed as one of the best fits to acquire the 25-year-old's services. “The Angels are at the very least listening, which is more than they've done at past deadlines,” wrote Passan on Tuesday. “The biggest curiosity in the industry right now is just how much Angels owner Arte Moreno will allow interim general manager John Mozeliak to maneuver -- and if the full rebuild the team needs can start to happen under a temporary employee,” he continued. 

As noted by Passan, the return for Neto would have to be a massive one given his age and number of years under team control. If Breslow views Neto as the shortstop of the future in Boston, he has two major pieces that could be used to acquire Neto’s services: top prospect Franklin Arias, who ranks as Baseball America’s No. 3 prospect in all of baseball, and former No. 4 overall pick Marcelo Mayer. 

While the 23-year-old Mayer presents an immediate replacement for Neto, the 20-year-old Arias may fit the Los Angeles rebuild timeline better. 

The Angels are also rumored to be listening to a pair of young, controllable starters in Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano. 

Whether it be 2025 first-round pick Kyson Witherspoon or Baseball America’s No. 34-ranked prospect Anthony Eyanson, the Red Sox have no shortage of arms for Mozeliak to choose from who, like Arias, fit their rebuild timeline.

If Breslow were to go out and expend the assets required to land Neto, it would be a move made with as much conviction as the third-year chief baseball officer has made, and a clear sign that he believes there’s still another level for the 25-year-old to reach. 

The MLB Trade Deadline is Aug. 3 at 6:00 p.m. ET. 

Remember to join our RED SOX on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Red Sox fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!