For a team that just lost 100 games for the first time in franchise history, the Angels don’t have many clean answers sitting in front of them. Zach Neto is one of the biggest.
Neto was named a finalist for the Louisville Silver Slugger award among American League shortstops, a nod that lands in the middle of an offseason that figures to bring a regime change in Anaheim. The recognition doesn’t erase the uneven nature of his year, but it does serve as another reminder that his value around the league remains real.
That matters because the Angels are heading toward a major decision on him. Neto turns 26 in January and is under control through the 2029 season, which gives any front office plenty to think about.
At the same time, his trade value is not standing still. Every day that passes makes the calculus a little tougher.
The bat still flashed plenty. Neto’s batting average dropped by nearly 20 points, but he still set a career high with 27 home runs and matched his best with 77 RBI.
The bigger issue was the swing-and-miss. He struck out more than 30% of the time, and that part of his offensive profile dragged down the overall picture.
Even with that flaw hanging over the season, the direction is still encouraging. Neto’s production was good enough to put him in the Silver Slugger conversation, though the odds are stacked with Bobby Witt Jr. still in the mix for Kansas City. Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers is the other finalist.
The Angels also had a chance to move Neto at the deadline, and interim general manager John Mozeliak shopped him with a high asking price. Mozeliak has already said he will eventually be phased out of the Angels’ front office this offseason, which only pushes the next call onto the incoming decision maker.
That leaves the club with a straightforward but uncomfortable question: is Neto part of the core for the next Angels contender, or is he the first piece that needs to go? Conventional wisdom points toward a trade, especially if the goal is to kick-start a reset under a new voice in the front office.
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