The Red Sox have already made one move before the trade deadline even officially arrives, and they may not be done. After sending Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals for Curtis Mead, Boston is still hunting for more help. One of the names at the top of the list is Los Angeles Angels slugger Zach Neto - but the asking price could force the Red Sox to back off.
On paper, Neto makes a lot of sense in Boston. He’s hitting .234/.323/.441/.764 with 21 doubles, 19 home runs, and 46 RBI in 103 games this season. The batting average is modest, but his right-handed pull power would fit Fenway Park nicely, where balls can rattle off the Green Monster and turn into extra-base hits.
That fit is exactly why the Angels can afford to push hard in negotiations. Neto has three and a half years of control left, and Los Angeles knows a contender like Boston would see him as a strong addition. According to the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, the price could start with the Red Sox’s No. 1 prospect, Franklin Arias, who is ranked No. 7 in the Top 100.
Arias is viewed as a high-end talent with an MVP-level ceiling. He can hit, he plays strong defense at shortstop, and he’s close to the majors - all reasons Boston would be reluctant to put him in a deal for Neto, who plays the same position. If the Angels are asking for Arias, the Red Sox may decide the cost is simply too steep.
That doesn’t mean Boston has to walk away from the idea entirely. The club could still explore other packages and try to build a deal around different names, including Marcelo Mayer, Jarren Duran, or other prospects, while keeping Arias and Anthony Eyanson out of it.
If the Red Sox did land Neto, there would also be a fit issue to sort through. His defense is described as poor, which could push Boston to use him as the full-time designated hitter. In that setup, Masataka Yoshida would handle left field every day until Roman Anthony returns.
Neto would help Boston’s lineup, no question. But if the Angels make Franklin Arias the price of doing business, the Red Sox may have to move on.
In Other News...
Red Sox Made A Tough Roster Call At Shortstop
The Red Sox made a difficult infield decision by adding Curtis Mead to the active roster and sending rookie Tsung-Che Cheng back to Triple-A Worcester in the corresponding move. Cheng had spent about a month on the major league roster, and while his bat was modest, he gave Boston something it badly needed at shortstop: steady defense and a calm presence while the club sorted through the position.
In 116 innings at shortstop, Cheng did not commit an error, and his work there helped stabilize the spot even without much offensive production. Boston does not appear to be closing the door on him, either, since he could still surface again later this season as a bench infielder if the roster opens up and the need for dependable glove work returns. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Finally Gave Up On A Once Promising Outfield Project
Once viewed as one of the more intriguing outfield projects in the Red Sox system, a young Dominican signee never quite turned early promise into steady progress. He had been in the organization since signing as a teenager and worked his way through the minor league ladder from 2022 through 2026, a long runway that suggested Boston was willing to be patient with the bat and the athleticism.
The patience eventually ran into the reality of a rough stretch at High-A Greenville, where the production simply never matched the tools. The numbers there were hard to ignore, and for a player who had spent years trying to climb back onto the radar, the latest setback left the organization with a difficult decision and the player searching for his next chance. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox May Finally Have A Real Answer At Catcher
With the trade deadline approaching, the Red Sox are still sorting through ways to stabilize a catcher spot that has been more about patchwork than certainty. One name that has surfaced in that conversation is Minnesotas Ryan Jeffers, a rental option whose bat has stood out enough to make him a plausible fit for a club looking to add offense behind the plate without asking one player to do everything.
Bostons interest would make sense because the club could try to balance the position by pairing a stronger hitter with Carlos Narvez handling more of the defensive load. The catch, of course, is that Minnesota has no obligation to move Jeffers, and any deal would have to clear the obvious hurdle of whether the Twins would want to send a useful catcher to a team chasing the same American League playoff race. [Read more 🡒]