Angels' star player exits game vs. Red Sox early due to injury

The Angels simply cannot afford any more injuries to their players if they are to actually make a credible push for the playoffs this season. They have Yoán Moncada, Jorge Soler, Robert Stephenson and Chris Taylor on the shelf, and if this team is going to make up ground in the American League they need the whole roster available. Well, what took place during the Halos' second game of the series versus the Red Sox could have been an absolute worst-case scenario for this team's postseason aspirations. Nothing is reported as of yet, but what happened to Zach Neto should have Angels fans on pins and needles.

Zach Neto exits the Angels-Red Sox game early due to injury

In the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs, Zach Neto was caught trying to steal second base. After he was tagged out by David Hamilton, Neto was visually uncomfortable and seemed to be assuring his teammates and coaches in the dugout afterwards that he was all good. He took his normal place at shortstop the next half inning.

In the top of the ninth inning, Neto was taken out of the game after he fielded a ground ball and made a very awkward throw to first base. He "T-Rex armed" a throw to first and it sailed over the head of Lamonte Wade Jr. Head athletic trainer Mike Frostad and acting manager Ray Montgomery hustled out to evaluate their star player, and determined quickly that he needed to go be tested further with the training staff right away. Montgomery summoned in Scott Kingery from centerfield after hearing only a few words exchanged between Neto and Frostad.

Obviously the worry is Neto's right shoulder. The shortstop underwent surgery during the offseason after he tweaked his shoulder on a similar head-first slide into second against the White Sox in September. Even if the team evaluates Neto and gets the best possible results, they will probably not rush him back whatsoever given the priors.

Neto is clearly one of the Angels' two or three most valuable players, and losing his bat and glove for more time this season (he missed a few weeks to begin the season due to said shoulder surgery) would be a catastrophic development. He is slashing .278/.321/.494/.814 this season as the team's primary leadoff hitter. It's just a brutal occurrence for one of the league's best shortstops and the linchpin of the Angels' fantastic lineup/young core.

More to come

More LA Angels News from Halo Hangout