Lost in all the drama that has surrounded the Los Angeles Angels this season has been the stellar play from rookie shortstop Zach Neto. The infielder has dealt with different injuries throughout the year, but he has also been one of their more valuable members when on the field.
He has been out dealing with a back issue for the last month, and he doesn’t want to push himself to get back. Neto wants to actually let the injury heal so that it doesn’t linger down the line.
“Before I thought it was something I could push through, with the adrenaline kicking in,” Neto said. “It wasn’t getting better so I took this time to actually get better for real this time.”
Especially with where the Angels are in the standings, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to rush him back. He is likely going to be a major part of the future of this organization, so getting him right is crucial.
He is going to remain at Triple-A for a few days before they make any future decisions on him for the rest of the year.
“As the Angels’ rookie shortstop packed for Salt Lake City on Monday to begin a rehab assignment, he admitted that he probably tried to push himself back into the lineup too early when he first had the back issues in July.”
On the year, the rookie is hitting .241 with eight home runs and 30 runs batted in. Prior to his injury, he was a big contributor to the Angels success, so his missed time has hurt the club this season.
The hope is that he can return, even for a few games, so he can take more reps at the big league level. It will help him to grow his overall game, and give him some confidence for the future.
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