The Los Angeles Angels’ descent into baseball mediocrity has followed a typical pattern. Each season begins with renewed hope that their star players will be able to string together six healthy months, or at least long enough to keep the team in contention for a postseason berth. Invariably, injuries have gotten in the way.
At least the 2025 season is off to a different script already: the Angels know one of their star players is beginning the new year at less than 100 percent.
General manager Perry Minasian told reporters, including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register and Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, that shortstop Zach Neto underwent shoulder surgery Wednesday and could miss the start of next season.
Zach Neto had shoulder surgery this week. He tried to rehab but still felt some issues. Perry Minasian said he might miss the start of the season. Didn’t specify beyond that.
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) November 8, 2024
#Angels SS Zach Neto had shoulder surgery on Wednesday and there’s a chance he could miss the start of the season, GM Perry Minasian said. It’s the shoulder he injured on a slide in Chicago late in the season.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) November 8, 2024
According to Bollinger, it’s the right (throwing) shoulder Neto injured in a game against the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 26. Neto tried rehabbing the injury, but still had some lingering issues, according to Fletcher.
Brandon Sloter/Getty Images
Neto hit 23 home runs, stole 30 bases, and slashed .249/.318/.443 (114 wRC+) in 2014, his second full season at the major league level. He became the eighth Angels player ever (and the first infielder) to hit 17 home runs and steal 21 bases in a single season.
Zach Neto is the eighth player in #Angels history (first infielder) with 17+ HR and 21+ SB in a season, joining:
Shohei Ohtani (2021)
Mike Trout (2012, ’13, ’16, ’17, ’18)
Bobby Abreu (2010)
Darin Erstad (2000)
Devon White (1987)
Don Baylor (1977, ’78, ’79)
Bobby Bonds (1977) https://t.co/phozzQlqju— Matt Birch (@MattBirch12) August 11, 2024
At 23 years old, the former first-round pick is poised to become a cornerstone for a franchise that could use a rebuild. The Angels went 63-99, the worst record in the history of a team that joined the American League in 1961.
The Angels haven’t finished with a winning record since 2015, haven’t reached the postseason since 2014, and haven’t won a playoff round since 2009.
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Neto sustained the injury sliding awkwardly into second base attempting to advance on a passed ball. The injury forced him to miss the Angels’ ensuing three-game series in Oakland, effectively ending his season.
The Angels recently acquired utility infielder Scott Kingery from the Philadelphia Phillies, perhaps in response to the uncertainty of Neto’s status. In any case, Kingery appears to be in line to absorb some of Neto’s playing time if there’s a vacancy at shortstop to begin the new season.
Kyren Paris, 22, has appeared in 36 games over the past two seasons for the Angels and could also fill Neto’s shoes on a temporary basis. So could Luis Rengifo, though the Angels might prefer to give him a longer runway to win the starting third baseman’s job in spring training.
Minasian told Fletcher in September that incumbent starter Anthony Rendon is “gonna have to come in and earn it” after essentially being handed the starting third baseman’s job in the first five seasons of his seven-year, $245 million contract.
Between Rendon’s inefficiency and Neto’s injury, don’t be surprised if the Angels dip their toe in the free-agent market to shore up the left side of their infield this offseason.
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