The Red Sox buzz around Zach Neto isn’t going away, and for good reason. He’d give Boston a real jolt in the top half of the lineup, and the fact that he’s controlled through the 2029 season makes him the kind of piece that could fit neatly into the club’s hoped-for championship window.
The catch, of course, is getting the Angels to actually bite. Neto is the type of player who only moves if the return helps Los Angeles believe it’s taking a meaningful step toward a rebuild, and that means Boston would have to put together a package with real weight behind it.
If the Red Sox were willing to part with No. 1 prospect Franklin Arias or No. 2 prospect Anthony Eyanson, that probably gets the deal across the finish line. But Boston’s track record last year showed a reluctance to part with consensus Top 100 talent, and Craig Breslow’s approach appears to lean the same way: don’t blow up the future unless the fit is unmistakable.
That’s why a more realistic framework starts with Marcelo Mayer, the former first-round pick, and then adds a couple more notable prospects. In that kind of setup, the Angels’ need for starting pitching becomes a major factor.
That’s also why Witherspoon, the 2025 first-round pick who has had serious trouble in his pro debut, is included instead of the slightly higher-rated Justin Gonzales. The same logic could also send the Angels pushing hard for Eyanson, who has been outstanding out of that same draft class.
Azocar is another name that would have appeal. He’s already moved from Low-A to High-A in his age-19 season and has shown an ability to spray the ball all over the yard. He may not have one standout tool, but there isn’t an obvious hole in his game either.
As for the chances of Boston actually landing Neto, the estimate lands somewhere between 10 and 30 percent. That’s not a sure thing by any stretch, but it’s a lot better than it looked a couple of weeks ago.
In Other News...
Former Red Sox Catcher Suddenly Lands In A Spot Boston Fans Will Notice
Matt Thaiss has found a new landing spot after his release from a non-roster deal with the Red Sox, and it is one that will be familiar to anyone who followed his early career with the Angels. Houston signed the catcher to a minor league contract and sent him to Triple-A Sugar Land, giving the former first-round pick another chance to work his way back into a big league conversation after spending most of his seven major league seasons in Anaheim.
For the Astros, the move is about depth as much as anything else. Their catching group has not provided much offense, so Thaiss gives them another experienced option to stash in the system in case injuries create a need behind the plate. For Angels fans, it is another reminder of how long Thaiss has been around, and how often a players next stop can say as much about the market as it does about the player himself. [Read more 🡒]
Another Angels Pitching Gamble Is Turning Into A Disaster
With nine days left before the trade deadline, the Angels are once again staring at the kind of roster crossroads that tends to define a lost season. Sitting near the bottom of the standings, they look more like sellers than buyers, and the pitching decisions they made last winter are now part of the reason why. The club committed $20.6 million to a batch of free-agent arms with bounce-back appeal, hoping at least one or two would stabilize the staff.
Kirby Yates has been the best of that group, but the rest have not given the Angels much to hold onto. Drew Pomeranz and Jordan Romano both ran into trouble and were designated for assignment, and Alek Manoah has become the most troubling case of all. After a rough stint in the majors, his latest stop has only deepened the concern around what comes next for a pitcher the Angels were counting on to be part of the answer. [Read more 🡒]