BALTIMORE -- It’s been a whirlwind recently for Angels shortstop Zach Neto, who saw his name surface in trade rumors ahead of Monday’s Trade Deadline while also being in a slump at the plate.
With Neto scuffling, the Angels moved him out of the leadoff spot for just the fourth time this season, but he made the most of it by going 2-for-5 at the plate with a three-run homer in a 4-1 win against the Orioles in the series finale on Thursday at Camden Yards. Neto hit cleanup against the Orioles, marking the first time out of the No. 1 spot since he hit third against the Dodgers on May 15. Left fielder Wade Meckler moved up to hit leadoff for the second time in his career and also went 2-for-5.
Neto acknowledged it’s been tough recently dealing with the thought of possibly being dealt. But like left-hander Reid Detmers, he ultimately wasn’t traded while others such as right-hander José Soriano, right fielder Jo Adell, catcher Logan O'Hoppe and relievers Chase Silseth, Ryan Zeferjahn, Kirby Yates and Brent Suter were traded for a haul of young talent that included top shortstop prospect Arjan Nimmala (the club’s new No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline).
“Like I said before, it's probably one of the most stressful weeks during the year,” Neto said. “So I’m glad it's over.”
Neto, 25, remains under team control for three more seasons after ’26, which was part of the calculation in them deciding not to trade him. But Neto wouldn’t say if the front office led by interim general manager John Mozeliak gave him any assurances that they plan to build around him going forward and not trade him this offseason.
It’s been an up and down year for Neto, who led the Angels in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in each of the last two seasons. After his two-hit performance on Thursday, he’s slashing .230/.317/.426 with 20 homers, 21 doubles, 14 stolen bases and 50 RBIs in 112 games.
He hadn’t homered since July 5, but he broke that drought with a three-run blast in the third off right-hander Brandon Young. Neto crushed a 2-1 sinker over the middle of the plate for his 20th homer of the year. It helped him make some club history in the process, as he became the first Angels shortstop to hit at least 20 homers and 20 doubles in three straight seasons.
Neto would only say he’s feeling “good” at the plate before the game, but manager Kurt Suzuki acknowledged Neto’s struggles, which is why he was moved down in the order. Coming into the game, he was in a 5-for-40 slump, including hitting just .202 with a double, a triple and two RBIs over his last 21 games dating back to July 9.
“I think he just wants to be successful,” Suzuki said. “I think his personality, he wants to be the best player that he can be. He’s going through a process and learning all these types of things. It's just him trying to be a perfectionist, and sometimes, it can be tough at this thing at this level.”
Suzuki wouldn’t rule out moving Neto back into the leadoff spot, much like he did in May when Neto hit sixth on May 13 and 15 and batted third on May 16. He said it could be based on matchups, especially if there’s a lefty starting.
“We'll take it day by day,” Suzuki said. “We'll just kind of see how it plays out. Maybe against a left-hander, he'll go back to the top. I don't know yet. I just feel like now is the time to try to get creative and try different things.”
Suzuki was asked how much the Trade Deadline affected Neto, who hadn’t previously ever been discussed as a trade candidate. But he said it’s hard for him to say and he’s just hopeful that Neto can start to relax and play like his usual self down the stretch.
“I don't really know,” Suzuki said. “Zach would only know, but like for me, like I said, it's just him just wanting to be a perfectionist and trying to put too much pressure on himself. But I think only he would know that.”