The Los Angeles Angels breathed a collective sigh of relief Wednesday when an MRI revealed no structural damage to shortstop Zach Neto’s surgically repaired right shoulder. The injury, sustained during a head-first slide into second base in Tuesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox, had raised some serious concerns.
Zach Neto Closely Dodges Severe Injury, Giving the Angels A Sigh Of Relief
“It’s a sigh of relief finding out nothing was structurally messed up,” Neto said, according to MLB beat reporter Rhett Bollinger’s post on X. Neto injured his right shoulder, the same one surgically repaired after a similar slide last September, during Tuesday’s game. The Angels’ 5-2 win over Boston saw Scott Kingery fill in at shortstop, while Kyren Paris and Kevin Newman were ready as potential replacements.
Zach Neto called it a sigh of relief but did say his shoulder is still sore. With off-days on Thursday and Monday, the Angels could be cautious with Neto and keep him out of the lineup for the Nationals series. He’ll take it day to day.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) June 25, 2025
Acting manager Ray Montgomery expressed some optimism before Wednesday’s game, saying, “The goal is to have him ready to play at some point today, if he’s able.” The MRI results confirmed no major damage, listing Neto as day-to-day. With off-days on Thursday and Monday, the Angels may hold him out of this weekend’s series against the Washington Nationals, giving him six days to rest before Tuesday’s Atlanta series.
Neto’s absence, even temporarily, is a blow to a team that leans heavily on his production. Despite missing the season’s first 18 games, he’s batting .278 with an .814 OPS, 12 homers, 15 doubles, and 29 RBIs, leading the Angels with 46 runs scored.
“We’re a different team with him,” Montgomery said. “Everybody knows that.” His dynamic presence at leadoff sets the tone for an Angels lineup that recently saw rookie Christian Moore shine, hitting game-tying and game-winning homers Tuesday. Montgomery seized the chance to move Moore to the No. 2 spot and Nolan Schanuel to leadoff in Neto’s absence.
Neto’s injury raises questions about his aggressive playing style. Last September, a head-first slide against the Chicago White Sox sidelined him for the season’s final three games, leading to offseason surgery. Tuesday’s incident mirrored that. “I’m going to have to be more mindful of it now,” Neto said. “This kind of being more of a recurring thing, it’s something I’m going to have to start learning how to do, maybe sliding feet first.”
With reliever Sam Bachman emerging as a bullpen weapon, allowing only one run in six innings, and minor leaguer Chad Wallach hitting two grand slams for Triple-A Salt Lake, the Angels have depth to lean on. But Neto’s return still holds a lot of weight.