It only took 6 games for Angels fans to determine that Zach Neto is ready to go

Angels fans are having an absolute blast during the 2025 season so far, and one of the best parts of the season is that they do not even have their best player from 2024. Zach Neto has played in six minor league rehab games with Triple-A Salt Lake, and only two at shortstop (he has played four as their designated hitter). He needs to shore up his arm strength as he comes back from an offseason shoulder surgery, prove to the Angels' coaches and evaluators that he did not miss a beat defensively after missing spring training, as well as show the trainers that he can handle an increased workload.

Counterpoint to that coherent and intelligent process that Neto and the Angels are undergoing: the kid is raking and fans want that bat back in the lineup as soon as possible.

It only took 6 games for Angels fans to determine that Zach Neto is ready to go

The Angels are 6-3 and have scored the 11th most runs in the league despite missing Neto. In case you needed a reminder, the Angels' shortstop in 2024 hit 23 home runs, stole 30 bases, and led the team in fWAR and RBIs. In his six games with the Bees, Neto has six hits (two singles, two doubles, two home runs), 14 total bases, seven runs scored, five RBIs, four base on balls, and is slashing .273/.407/.636/1.044. O.K., now picture that guy in this lineup:

vs. RHPs:
1. Ward—7
2. Rengifo**—4
3. Trout—9  
4. Soler—DH
5. Neto—6
6. Moncada**—5
7. O’Hoppe—2
8. Schanuel*—3
9. Paris—8
Bench: d’Arnaud, Anderson, Newman, Adell
*--left-handed hitter
**--switch-hitter

It's unclear where Neto will slot into the lineup when he comes back, as Ron Washington seems to enjoy Luis Rengifo batting second. If Neto bats second, where he hit predominantly last season, then the Angels would run out a whole lot of right-handed hitters in a row from the 9-hole to clean-up (unless they bat Rengifo double-leadoff). This feels like champagne problems because the lineup is raking right now, and adding Neto in there could make this team go from fun...to....dare I say...an actual contender?

When Neto returns, Nicky Lopez will likely be designated for assignment to make room unless Yoán Moncada needs to hit the Injured List after he re-aggravated his thumb injury from spring training. Lopez has mostly been in mop-up duty, in the field and on the mound, after signing with the Angels mere hours before the regular season began.

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