Neto, Detmers provide updates, hopeful ahead of 2026

ANAHEIM -- Shortstop Zach Neto and lefty reliever Reid Detmers were both bright spots for the Angels this season, only to sustain season-ending injuries in mid-September. But both gave positive updates before Wednesday’s game against the Royals and will be ready for Spring Training next year.

Neto initially injured his left hand when he was hit by a pitch on Aug. 20 and aggravated it on a swing in Seattle on Sept. 11. He underwent testing that revealed two strains in his hand, but they’re considered minor and he’ll have a normal offseason.

“The hand is doing all right,” Neto said. “It sucks the way it ended. But at this point, you gotta look at the good things I did this year. My main goal was to come back from my shoulder surgery healthy and play as many games as possible, which I felt like I did. And I had a pretty good year overall.”

Detmers, meanwhile, exited his relief appearance on Sept. 10 after a decline in his velocity and some discomfort in his forearm and outside his elbow. He underwent an MRI exam and received a second opinion, but no structural damage was found in the elbow and forearm areas. He said it was a sigh of relief, as elbow injuries can often lead to Tommy John surgery and a lengthy recovery of more than a year, but he expects to start his offseason throwing program at the same time he did last year.

“I’m good, no structural damage, so no TJ,” Detmers said. “It’s just going to be a normal offseason. We're doing the rehab and stuff every day. I'll be ready for Spring Training. Not too worried about it. There's nothing really going on. Just some achiness.”

Neto, 24, had another strong season, batting .257/.319/.474 with 26 homers, 29 doubles, 26 stolen bases and 62 RBIs in 128 games. He posted 5.0 Wins Above Replacement, per Baseball Reference, and is set to lead the club in WAR for a second straight year.

He also proved he could bounce back after undergoing right shoulder surgery in November that caused him to miss the first 18 games of the season. He did tweak it on a headfirst slide in late June, but learned to slide feet-first more often on slides into second base. He said he’s still going to be an aggressive player going forward and won’t change where he stands in the box despite getting hit by 14 pitches this year and 16 pitches in 2023 and ’24.

“If you're talking about backing up off the plate, absolutely not,” Neto said. “I'm going to stay on the plate. I'm going to keep being the same gritty player I've always been since I first came up. When things come up where I have to change or make an adjustment, that's when I'll do it.”

Unlike Neto, however, Detmers would like to adjust his game in 2026, as he’d prefer to return to being a starting pitcher after his first year in relief. The 26-year-old competed for a spot in the rotation during Spring Training, only to lose the fifth starter role to right-hander Jack Kochanowicz. But Detmers pitched well in relief, posting a 3.96 ERA with 80 strikeouts, 25 walks and six homers allowed in 63 2/3 innings.

Detmers hit a rough patch in late April and early May but bounced back to record a 2.19 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings in 49 relief appearances the rest of the way. Detmers said he learned how to better prepare his body and mind as the season progressed, and he believes this approach will also translate to success as a starter.

It would make some sense for the Angels to have him come into camp stretched out to start, as their only returning starters next year who are considered locks for the rotation are lefty Yusei Kikuchi and right-hander José Soriano. Detmers has a 4.90 ERA in 75 career starts, including a 3.77 ERA in 25 starts in '22 but a 6.70 ERA in 17 outings in '24.

“All I’ve ever known is starting, so I’d like to start again,” Detmers said. “I think taking from what I learned this year about my mentality and stuff like that, I think I can transfer that over to starting. But at the same time, it’s up to them. I’m willing to do whatever they want me to do. Just like I said at the beginning of the year, anything that helps the team, I’ll do.”