The Angels may have spent the season rearranging the deck chairs, but Zach Neto is making one thing clear: he wants to be part of the rebuild, not a trade chip in it.
The 25-year-old shortstop said as much Monday on MLB Network, pushing back against the idea that Anaheim should move him after his name surfaced in deadline chatter.
“I’m very loyal, and I want to stay here,” Neto said on a Monday MLB Network appearance. “I want to be able to flip this thing around.”
“It’s pretty special - being able to stay here and be a part of this group. Being a part of this turnaround, I think, is the most important part," Neto added.
That stance matters because Neto was one of the biggest names the Angels considered dealing before the deadline, even with three more years of team control remaining after this season. The club ultimately kept him, and around the league there’s still a belief those conversations could resurface in the offseason.
For now, though, the decision looks better by the day. Neto has caught fire at the plate, giving the Angels a glimpse of the player they believe can help drive their future.
Over his last 12 games, he has posted a 1.037 OPS in 49 at-bats. The stretch since August 18 has been even more eye-opening: .469/.469/.844 with a 1.313 OPS, plus 15 hits, two home runs and nine RBI in just 32 at-bats.
That kind of run is exactly why Neto has become one of the franchise’s key building blocks. Since debuting in 2023, the former first-round pick in the 2022 draft has improved every year and emerged as the next Angels star.
He’s been the third most valuable Angel this season, behind only Reid Detmers and Mike Trout. Even with a modest dip from last year, Neto still ranks as a top-10 shortstop in baseball by fWAR. His 22 homers and 82 runs both rank third among shortstops.
And it’s not just the bat carrying him. Neto’s defense has taken a step forward in 2026, too. His arm strength sits in the 81st percentile, a notable jump from slightly above league average last season, and his defensive fWAR has swung from -1.6 in 2025 to 0.8 this year.
The Angels have already made plenty of changes this season, from firing general manager Perry Minasian and multiple pitching coaches to signaling a stronger commitment to the future at the deadline. They still sit among baseball’s worst teams, but the idea of Anaheim climbing back up the standings no longer feels far-fetched.
If Neto keeps producing like this, the front office may think twice about revisiting trade talks. The farm system is rising, the rebuild is taking shape, and Neto wants to be there for the whole thing.
In Other News...
Angels Trade Reset Looks Tougher As One Exits Starts Turning Heads
The Angels deadline teardown was meant to clear the deck and give the front office a cleaner look at what comes next, but the early returns have made that reset feel a little less tidy. Seven players were sent out ahead of the deadline, and several of them have already started making their new clubs look smarter for taking the chance. Jo Adell has brought a hot bat to the Cleveland Guardians, Jose Soriano has flashed both the upside and the inconsistency the Angels knew well, and others such as Brent Suter and Kirby Yates have settled in with strong results elsewhere.
For a team trying to sort through a new version of its roster, the most telling part of the first few weeks has been seeing former Angels turn heads almost immediately. The trade haul was supposed to be about opportunity and long-term flexibility, but each positive step from a departed player only sharpens the question of what the Angels gave up and whether the next version of the club will be any easier to build. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Suddenly Have A Rotation Problem Fans Didn't See Coming
The Angels made a swift change by firing pitching coach Mike Maddux, and since then the starting staff has started to look much more like the group the club hoped it had all along. Over the 65 2/3 innings since Aug. 11, Los Angeles starters have turned in a 1.51 ERA, a surge that has given the rotation a very different feel at a time when the season has long since narrowed the margin for error.
Manager Kurt Suzuki has pointed to a simplified approach that leans into each pitchers strengths, and the results have left the Angels in an interesting spot as they sort through their options. With several starters turning in mixed outings overall, the club is now weighing how to handle a rotation that suddenly looks healthier on the mound, even if the bigger picture still feels unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Trout Is Back In Yankees Speculation For A Frustrating Reason
Mike Trout keeps insisting he wants to stay where his career began, and from the Angels point of view that has always been the central fact in any discussion about his future. Drafted by the club in 2009, Trout has spent his entire big league career in Anaheim, and his no-trade clause gives him control over any attempt to move him. Even with that history, the offseason chatter has started again, this time with the Yankees looking at a glaring center field vacancy and wondering whether they should at least check in.
For the Angels, the frustrating part is not the rumor itself so much as how familiar it is. Trout has not shown interest in being dealt, and there is nothing to suggest that stance has changed. Still, as long as a contender with a need at his position is searching for answers, his name is going to surface in speculation, even if the realities around his contract and his own preference make a trade look highly unlikely. [Read more 🡒]