The Los Angeles Angels lost their prized rookie shortstop Zach Neto after an uncomfortable feeling in his oblique popped up in their 5-3 win over the Texas Rangers.
The Angels originally called up Neto because of his immense potential, all of which earned him top prospect status after being drafted in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
In his first 199 plate appearances this season, Neto has posted a .259/.338/.431 slash with six home runs and 22 RBI. He’s graded out fairly well across the board for a 22-year-old in his initial taste of big league time.
The injury to any player is a scare, but especially for a young player with immense talent, Angels manager Phil Nevin said, per Jeff Fletcher of the O.C. Register:
“I kind of feared the worst because that’s what it feels like if you haven’t (strained an oblique),” Nevin said. “It feels like a cramp, but a cramp that doesn’t go away.”
The Angels have been riding a hot streak, mainly because of stability around the roster, they’ll, unfortunately, be without Neto for at least a month:
“These things are weird to deal with,” Nevin said. “Sometimes they can linger, or they can go away quicker than you think. I’ve had one before. It’s not fun at all. I feel for him.”
Neto dealt with a laceration on his right middle finger in early May, but was able to recover and continue playing through it. Now with a grade one oblique strain, he’s expressing a fair amount of frustration:
“It sucks,” Neto said. “But you gotta do what you gotta do. … When I come back I’m going to be better than I was. Maybe this time off will clear my head and give my body a little rest to come out and play more games.”
The Angels will turn to Andrew Velazquez, Brandon Drury and Luis Rengifo to hold down the middle infield in the interim. Velazquez was the main option last season and can provide a formidable defensive option for Nevin.
Angels expect Zach Neto’s power to continue developing
Although the rookie has hit just six home runs so far, the Angels believe as Neto’s career begins to progress, so will his body and power.
Nevin instilled a lot of faith that the young shortstop will unlock his slugging ability later on in his MLB tenure.
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