Angels’ Zach Neto Provides Injury Update After Rays Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Segun Ajayi | Last updated May 31, 2026 7:00 AM ET

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto provided a positive update after leaving Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays following a scary collision at home plate. Neto suffered the injury during the seventh inning of the Angels' 14-3 victory. With two outs and Neto standing at third base, Rays pitcher Ian Seymour threw a fastball that got past the catcher.

Neto immediately broke for home and slid feet-first in an attempt to score. But as Seymour rushed to cover the plate, the two collided during the play. Seymour fell onto Neto's upper back and neck area, leaving the Angels shortstop down on the field for several minutes while trainers and manager Kurt Suzuki checked on him.

The injury briefly overshadowed what turned into one of the Angels' most convincing wins of the season. After the evaluation, Neto got to his feet and walked off the field on his own.

Nick Madrigal entered the game and took over at second base, while Oswald Peraza shifted to shortstop. Following the game, Neto told reporters he felt fortunate that the collision did not result in a more serious injury.

Neto says he’s a little sore but otherwise fine. They’ll see how he feels in the morning to decide if he’s playing. https://t.co/KkyXb9jdvk
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) May 31, 2026

According to Angels reporter Jeff Fletcher on X, the 25-year-old said he was sore and tired but otherwise felt good after the impact. He explained that his only focus on the play was scoring the run and helping the team.

While he expected a hard collision at the plate, he felt relieved that the outcome was not worse. The Angels will monitor Neto's condition before deciding whether he can play in Sunday's series finale. If he is unable to play, Peraza or Donovan Walton could fill in at shortstop.

Before exiting, Neto continued what has been another productive season at the top of the Angels' lineup. Entering Saturday, the 25-year-old had appeared in 56 games and was batting .275 with eight home runs, 27 RBIs, 13 doubles, and 10 stolen bases. He also carried a .761 OPS and remained one of the club's most important everyday players.

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9)© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Angels improved to 23-36 with the victory and won for the sixth time in their last eight games. The offense wasted little time taking control of the contest. Wade Meckler delivered the biggest swing of the night when he launched a first-inning grand slam against Rays starter Drew Rasmussen.

The Angels continued to add runs throughout the game and finished with 14 runs on 16 hits. Unfortunately, Neto was not the only player forced from the game. Madrigal, who replaced him, exited in the ninth inning after a pitch struck him in the face. The Angels will likely provide an update on his condition before Sunday's game.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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