The Braves’ shortstop situation has become impossible to ignore, and Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter sees a potential fix in Los Angeles Angels infielder Zach Neto.
Atlanta has cycled through too many names at the position already. Ha-Seong Kim’s return has been a disaster, and Jorge Mateo, Mauricio Dubon and Jim Jarvis have all logged more than a handful of appearances there as well. As Reuter put it Tuesday, "Aside from the first half of the 2023 season when Orlando Arcia was a surprise All-Star before regressing, the Braves have not had a legitimate everyday shortstop since Dansby Swanson left town."
Neto would bring offense right away. He’s tracking toward the third 20/20 season of his four-year MLB career, and he’s doing it while carrying a .795 OPS.
The defensive side, though, is a different story. This year, Neto has minus-9 outs above average at shortstop.
Reuter’s trade idea would send JR Ritchie and four other prospects from Atlanta to Anaheim for Neto.
Even with the shortstop need staring them in the face, there’s a catch for the Braves. Reuter noted that the bigger hole might actually be in the rotation, where Atlanta could use another frontline starter to pair with Chris Sale in the playoffs. And with a thin farm system, the Braves do not have an endless supply of prospects to move.
That’s why this kind of deal may not be the cleanest answer, even if Neto would upgrade the lineup immediately. Atlanta could still address shortstop another way, or wait until the offseason to do it.
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