Zach Neto can pull off things on a baseball field that most players wouldn’t even dare to imagine, but even he has his limits. The shortstop has elite range on defense, sharp instincts, and is one of the club’s most reliable hitters. As the Angels’ most valuable young cornerstone, it’s no surprise fans get uneasy when he takes a hit and has to exit a game.
That was the case in the third inning of the Angels’ series finale against the Reds, when Neto was struck on the wrist by a 78 mph changeup from Nick Martinez. A couple innings later, he grounded out but was clearly hurting, leading the Angels to pull him from the game. Supporters could only hope the move was purely precautionary. Thankfully, it came on an offspeed pitch from Martinez—not one of Hunter Greene’s blazing triple-digit fastballs.
Angels fans left holding their breath after Zach Neto exits another game with injury
“I feel pretty good,” Neto told Jeff Fletcher of The OC Register. “Just sore right now. A little weak, but that’s usually what happens when you get hit.” Neto’s upbeat mood after the game was thanks to encouraging news from the x-rays, which revealed no fracture. For Angels fans, a negative result was the best possible outcome for their young star.
The Angels can’t afford to lose Neto for long without putting themselves at a significant disadvantage. Their upcoming series is against the Chicago Cubs, owners of the fifth-best record in baseball, and missing Neto even briefly would be a major blow. Still, it’s likely the club will play it safe, giving him an extra day or two to recover after the team’s scheduled off day, rather than rushing him back at the expense of his long-term health.
That frustration is mounting among Angels fans, who are tired of seeing Neto sidelined. Twice before, he’s injured his shoulder while sliding headfirst into a base. The first incident came last year against the White Sox, when he required surgery on his throwing shoulder that kept him out for a month and sidelined him for all of 2025 spring training.
It’s become a recurring theme: through no fault of his own, Neto keeps getting knocked out of games, leaving fans pleading with the baseball gods for a break. Mike Trout has long inspired similar anxiety with his injuries, and Anthony Rendon’s struggles have been another sore subject. For Angels fans, the cycle is wearing thin.
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