The Phillies are searching for answers, and the trade market may already be pointing them toward one of the most interesting names available: Zach Neto.
Philadelphia has stumbled badly since the All-Star break, and the pressure is on at the deadline. The rotation and bullpen both need help, but the bigger issue has been the lineup, which has lacked the kind of right-handed punch the club badly needs.
That’s why ESPN’s Jeff Passan said on SportsCenter that the Phillies have already opened trade talks with the Angels about Neto, a 25-year-old shortstop who brings both power and defensive value.
"They've had conversations with the Los Angeles Angels about Zach Neto, who, you say, Trea Turner is a shortstop already, Trea Turner might not be at shortstop long-term, and having a guy of Zach Neto's caliber not just with his glove, but especially with the bat, with the power, would really help that lineup," Passan said.
Neto would be under club control through the 2029 season, which makes him more than a short-term fix. If Philadelphia landed him, he could be their shortstop for the next 3.5 seasons.
Of course, that would also force a major shift for Trea Turner. Neto would take over at shortstop, and Turner would likely have to move elsewhere, with second base or the outfield mentioned as possible landing spots. Given Turner’s defensive struggles at shortstop this season, that might actually make sense for the Phillies.
The appeal is obvious. Neto is hitting .757 OPS this season and has piled up 21 doubles, 19 home runs, 97 hits, and 2.8 bWAR, which would be the most of any Phillies position player this year. That kind of production would give the lineup a real jolt.
But a player like that won’t come cheap. Dave Dombrowski would likely have to surrender premium prospects to get a deal done, with Gage Wood and/or Ramon Marquez mentioned as possible pieces. Francisco Renteria or Aidan Miller might also have to be included.
It would be a steep price, but the fit is hard to ignore. Neto would upgrade the Phillies on both sides of the ball, and this is one trade fans should be watching closely as the deadline approaches.
In Other News...
Angels Just Made A Shocking AL West Trade Fans Wont Ignore
Logan OHoppe has long been one of the more intriguing young pieces in the Angels system, a catcher with real power upside who once looked like a potential core fixture for years to come. Even with the recent struggles that have followed him, including a down season and the wrist fracture that slowed his momentum, he still carried enough value to headline a deal that also sent right-hander Chase Silseth out the door.
For the Angels, the move says plenty about where the organization is trying to go next, even if the full return is still unclear. Both players were under club control beyond 2026, so this was not a simple short-term swap, and Silseths effectiveness out of the bullpen had given Los Angeles another useful arm to deploy as needed. Now the focus shifts to what the Angels got back and whether this is the kind of trade that changes the shape of their roster, not just the back end of it. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Just Sent A Chilling Deadline Message With Logan OHoppe
The Angels deadline posture got a lot clearer with one move involving a pair of players who were still part of the clubs longer-term picture. Logan OHoppe, a catcher the organization had reason to keep building around, was dealt along with right-handed reliever Chase Silseth, a sign this front office is not limiting itself to short-term rentals as it weighs what the roster should look like beyond this season.
For a team trying to sort out both the present and the future, moving controllable pieces is the kind of decision that can reshape the rest of the deadline. It also leaves the catching picture in a new place, with Travis dArnaud positioned to absorb a bigger role, while John Mozeliaks first notable move as Angels executive suggests the club may be open to a broader reset in how it manages the roster from here. [Read more 🡒]