Angels' Zach Neto Considering Major Change Following Shoulder Injury

“I didn’t think anything of (sliding head first) after coming back from my surgery, but this kind of being a more recurring thing, it’s something I’m gonna have to start learning how to do, maybe sliding feet first,” Neto said.

Utilityman Scott Kingery filled in for Neto in his absence.

Neto suffered a similar shoulder injury while sliding headfirst to steal a base at the latter end of the 2024 season, and missed the first couple of weeks of the 2025 season after his surgery following that injury. He returned April 18, and has been on a tear since.

He has the highest OPS on the Angels' active roster with a .814 mark, and he has more than double the WAR of any position player on the team.

The 24-year-old has 11 home runs on the season, which is tied with Trevor Story for the most among American League shortstops. His 125 OPS+ leads all Angels except Yoan Moncada, who has been injured since the beginning of June.

It has been an eventful week for Neto, who was involved in a benches clearing incident with Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown after Brown hit him with a pitch for the second time in his career.

The Angels will miss Neto, and hope the shoulder injury doesn't persist.

The Angels have pulled themselves from last to third in the AL West over the course of the last month and a half, and reached .500 with their win on Wednesday. They're currently third in the AL West, seven games back from the Astros, and 1.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the final Wild Card spot.

Neto's next chance to come back to the Angels is on Friday against the Washington Nationals at 6:38 p.m. PT.

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