As the Boston Red Sox look ahead to a winter that could bring major roster movement, shortstop is one spot that suddenly feels worth watching. The idea wasn’t far-fetched at the trade deadline either, when reports said Boston had interest in a deal for Elly De La Cruz, though that never materialized.
Now another name has surfaced as a possible fit: Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels.
For the Red Sox, Neto checks a lot of boxes. He’s 25, he’s already producing at a high level, and he looks like the kind of player who could matter right away. One insider recently pointed to him as a player who could be on the move if the Angels decide to change direction.
“Neto’s name was a popular one leading up to the Trade Deadline, but the Angels opted to hang on to their shortstop while dealing away other controllables including José Soriano, Jo Adell and Ryan Zeferjahn. With three more years of arbitration eligibility remaining, Neto would be the Angels’ most attractive trade chip if the new general manager - whoever that may be - wants to tear the roster down and start their own rebuild.
“Neto has 24 homers, 69 RBIs and a .758 OPS in 140 games, posting his third straight season with at least 4.0 bWAR,” Mark Feinsand of MLB.com wrote.
The production has kept climbing for Neto, even if the hardware hasn’t followed yet. Through four seasons, he still hasn’t made an All-Star team or won an award, but he’s continuing to build a strong case as one of the more intriguing young shortstops in the league. He owns a 117 OPS+ this season and has 25 home runs, after hitting 26 a year ago and 23 the season before that.
There are still plenty of moving parts before Boston can think about making any kind of deal, including how the postseason plays out and the possibility of a lockout that could freeze trades altogether. But once the dust settles, Neto looks like the kind of name that could rise quickly to the top of the Red Sox’s wish list.
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