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This Red Sox-Angels trade for Zach Neto could help Boston win the AL pennant

FanSided · Jul 21, 2026 16:28 · 3 min read

This Red Sox-Angels trade for Zach Neto could help Boston win the AL pennant

The Boston Red Sox could pull off a blockbuster at the MLB trade deadline, as they've been linked to Angels shortstop Zach Neto. Any trade would be expensive, though.

You won't find yourself a more polarizing player available at the MLB trade deadline than Zach Neto. While more than capable of holding his own at the plate, Neto's downfall is his range defensively. One look at Neto's Baseball Savant page will sent even the most optimistic Angels fan for a loop. The bad news for those same Angels fans is that Neto, as up and down as he may be, is likely available at the trade deadline. Enter the Boston Red Sox, which are lacking that kind of pop from the shortstop position.

The Red Sox have won 14 straight games. They are THE story of the second half, and perhaps the entire MLB season should they put it all together for a playoff chase. The Red Sox value pull air percentage among their hitters, especially those on the right-hand side. Neto excels in that department, as his 28.6% is more than 12% above the league average. Neto's game comes with some downside, but he can change the game with one swing of the bat. He is feast or famine, and Fenway Park's dimensions should play right into his hand.

What a Red Sox trade for Zach Neto would look like

Red Sox chairman Tom Werner says team has 'the powder' to further add to payroll, bolster roster for 2026 — Red Sox chairman Tom Werner says team has 'the powder' to further add to payroll, bolster roster for | Boston Globe/GettyImages

Neto is under contract through the 2029 season. He's a franchise pillar for the Angels as they try to finally build a consistent winner with Mike Trout. Neto is "hitting ninth best in the league over the past three seasons (15% above average at the plate), while ranking fifth in homers (68) and stealing 69 bases," as ESPN's Jeff Passan notes in his recent trade column. However, the Angels recently parted ways with Perry Minasian in favor of former St. Louis Cardinals executive John Mozeliak. It's unclear how Mo will proceed at the trade deadline, and that includes Neto, who Passan gives a 30% chance of being traded.

If this seems like a lot to give up for Neto, that's because it is. The 25-year-old shortstop accumulated five-plus bWAR in each of the last two seasons and is on pace to do so again in 2026. That kind of consistency is tough to find at such a demanding position. Eyanson is a top-60 prospect in all of baseball per MLB Pipeline. Godbout is a fellow top-10 prospect in the Red Sox system, while Bleis is nearing the big leagues at a rapid pace. The Angels could acquire a franchise cornerstone in Eyanson who projects as a frontline starting pitcher.

Would the Red Sox make this trade for Zach Neto?

Craig Breslow has kept the Red Sox trade deadline plans close to the vest. Prior to their winning streak, Boston was expected to shop the likes of Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras. That's no longer the case. Instead, the Red Sox could look to add in a big way, and there's a reason Passan listed the Red Sox first as a possible suitor for Neto. Sending Eyanson, the Red Sox top pitching prospect, to the Angels will hurt, but not as much as missing out on a wide open American League pennant chase. Neto is an affordable asset for the next three years. He's bound to cost a lot once he reaches free agency, but the Sox don't have to worry about that until 2029.

Verdict: Yes

Would the Angels make this trade?

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Hire John Mozeliak as Interim General Manager | MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images/GettyImages

The Angels are listening to offers on Neto, which is custom for this time of year. With a new front office head in Mozeliak, he will look to make his mark on the organization early. Adding prospects not far from the big leagues like Eyanson, Godbout and Bleis is an added bonus, and takes some of the sting out of trading away Neto, who is under team control through 2029 and still just 25 years old. Still, don't be surprised if Mozeliak opts to hold onto Neto until the offseason, when he has more time to flesh out a trade that's appropriate for a player of his value.