Red Sox's Perfect Shortstop Trade Target—Within Reason

Jun 23, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) scores a run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Red Sox's Perfect Shortstop Trade Target—Within Reason

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Jul 18, 2026 5:00 PM ET

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A lot of names get thrown around as speculative fits for the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline, and many are too good to believe.

Delusions of the Red Sox acquiring a genuine superstar like James Wood of the Washington Nationals or Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros probably aren't worth entertaining. But getting a borderline star at a position of need could be on the table.

While we have to emphasize that we're only speculating here, there's a player who has at least been mentioned as a trade possibility by reliable sources who would be an ideal pickup. Here, then, is the case for the Red Sox to acquire Zach Neto from the Los Angeles Angels.

Zach Neto's obvious appeal to Red Sox

Firstly, Neto is a right-handed hitter with pop. In 95 games this season, he's clubbed 19 home runs, which would put him second on the Red Sox behind only All-Star Willson Contreras. That kind of power from a shortstop is a separator, and it's not reasonable for the Red Sox to expect either Trevor Story or Marcelo Mayer to come off the injured list and pick up that slack.

After back-to-back 5-WAR seasons, Neto's bWAR total sat at 2.5 entering Saturday. He's a steady producer with a 120 OPS+, and even if his defense is well below the major league average at shortstop, the offense makes up for it and then some.

If it's felt like Neto has always smoked the Red Sox, it's not far from the truth. He's got a .576 OPS at Fenway Park, which is odd because his pull-happy swing seems like a perfect fit, but his overall OPS against the Red Sox is .824 with four home runs in 20 games.

We know the Red Sox value pull air percentage for hitters, and Neto is among the elites in the sport at that facet of the game. His pull air percentage this season is 28.6%, which is nearly 12% above league average.

With three more years of team control after this one, the Angels don't have to trade Neto unless they love the return. But after firing general manager Perry Minasian and replacing him with John Mozeliak on an interim basis, it's more possible than it would have been in years past.

Rhett Bollinger, the Angels beat reporter for MLB.com, wrote that Neto "could fetch a big haul" in his column earlier this week.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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