The Red Sox are still looking for infield help as the 2026 MLB trade deadline nears, and the shortstop market is where the real urgency sits. Boston has been connected to multiple options this summer, but the clearest fit remains a player who can stabilize the position, and Trevor Story is not viewed as someone the club can count on there.
That’s why the latest update from ESPN on Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto matters. With two days left until the deadline, Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel listed Neto’s chance of being traded at 40%, with the Red Sox among the “Best fits” alongside the Braves, Blue Jays, Twins, and Yankees.
"Zach Neto, SS, Los Angeles Angels. Chance of being traded: 40%," Passan and McDaniel write.
"... Best fits: Red Sox, Braves, Blue Jays, Twins, Yankees."
That number does not mean Boston has a 40% shot at landing him. It means the Angels have a 40% chance of actually moving him. Still, that’s a better position than a lot of the names floating around the market.
Mason Miller was pegged at 20%, while Jeremy Pena, another shortstop the Red Sox have been linked to this year, was given a 25% chance of being dealt.
Neto, who is 25 and under club control through the 2029 season, has put together a .232 average with 19 home runs and 2.7 bWAR this season in 422 at-bats. On paper, he looks like one of the strongest answers available for Boston’s infield problem.
Of course, the Red Sox would not be alone in the chase. The Braves and Yankees are among the other teams that could push for Neto, which means Boston would still have to win a crowded race.
Even so, a 40% trade projection gives the Red Sox a real opening. If the Angels do decide to move Neto, Boston at least has a fighting chance to land what could be the best shortstop upgrade on the board.
In Other News...
Yankees Deadline Push Now Hinges On One Catching Upgrade
The Yankees are still trying to make one more meaningful move before the deadline, and the most interesting part of their search has centered on catcher. They want a right-handed bat behind the plate, a sensible fit for a roster that is already being pushed toward added bullpen help and another right-handed hitter elsewhere, and they have not been shy about working the market with that kind of urgency.
Tyler Stephenson, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Jeffers have all come up as possible answers, which shows how broad the search has become and how competitive the market is likely to be. For a club intent on upgrading in more than one spot, the catching pursuit may end up shaping how the rest of the deadline unfolds, especially if the front office has to decide how far it wants to go to land the right fit. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have A Trade Answer For Their Injury Hit Lineup
The Yankees lineup has been strained by the injuries to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, and the front office has been doing what it can to survey a thin trade market for help. Catchers and infielders are scarce in particular, which makes the search more difficult and pushes the conversation toward whatever productive bats might actually become available before the deadline.
One name worth watching is Randy Arozarena, a player the Yankees know well enough to appreciate as a possible fit in a lineup looking for more punch. The Seattle outfielder has put together strong offensive numbers this season, and his situation could make him one of the more interesting names to track if New York decides it needs to act on the market rather than wait for reinforcements from within. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Just Got A Yankees Trade Twist To Process
The Yankees are adding another wrinkle to their infield and batting-order picture, with ESPNs Jeff Passan reporting they are reportedly trading for Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. It is the kind of move that immediately invites lineup speculation because Garcia gives New York another capable left-handed bat, and any extra offense around the middle of the order tends to matter in October-minded planning.
But the fit is not as simple as just slotting in one more name and moving on. Garcias arrival adds depth, yet it also brings a real juggling act for the Yankees as they try to sort out playing time and keep the lineup balanced without creating unnecessary friction on the bench. The upside is obvious, but the next question is how New York makes all of the pieces work once everyone is actually in the mix. [Read more 🡒]