Red Sox Inquiring on Emerging Angels Shortstop

Neto, 25, has been a bright spot for an otherwise terrible Angels squad. In 100 games, the four-year veteran is slashing .238/.326/.446 with 21 doubles, 19 home runs, 13 stolen bases, a 114 wRC+ and 2.1 fWAR. He's struggled defensively this season with -4 fielding runs (per Statcast), but his youth gives him plenty of time to improve, and his right-handed pop is exceptionally suited for launching balls over the Green Monster.

The tricky part for the Red Sox is how much they would need to give up, or if the Angels are open to trading Neto at all. The Halos are reportedly "listening" to teams with interest in Neto, but he is a piece the team could build around due to having three years of club control beyond 2026. With a player in their prime and still eligible for salary arbitration, the Angels would naturally want a significant return if they were to deal him.

But if the Red Sox are willing to meet that hefty price, they'd have an outright solution for their middle infield. When Story comes back, he could simply be moved to second base, a position where he has experience. Story also has a $5 million buyout for 2028, which opens the door for top prospect Franklin Arias when he's major league ready; Boston would then have a highly tantalizing middle infield of Neto and Arias, although this assumes either one would be willing to play second.

Even with the offense producing during their winning streak, the Red Sox are a team built on pitching and the best upgrades they could make would be to the lineup. Getting Neto, should the Angels be willing to part with him, would give the Red Sox that much-needed bat that permanently stabilizes the batting order and make them a true threat in the postseason.