ANAHEIM — For the second time in three weeks, two of the top young shortstops in the American League will butt heads as Zach Neto leads the Angels against Jacob Wilson and the Athletics.
And both players are having strong enough seasons to start the speculation they could be teammates in just over a month as American League All-Stars.
While stressing that team success remains his priority, Neto did admit that an All-Star honor would deliver some personal satisfaction.
“It would mean a lot, but I still got a lot of work to do to hopefully achieve it,” Neto said. “Just trying to stay where my feet are, and then just keep playing my game. And if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, then I know I got to work a little harder to try to make it.”
Neto’s road to a potential first All-Star appearance at Atlanta in July is a bit more complicated than the case for the rookie Wilson, who entered play Monday with a .372 batting average and a .936 OPS. The former Thousand Oaks High standout leads the A’s in both stats.
Neto has competition on multiple fronts for an All-Star nod. Three other AL shortstops appear All-Star-worthy in Wilson, Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. and Houston’s Jeremy Peña.
Neto is in that mix, though, with 10 home runs, 25 RBIs and an .800 OPS, all while missing the first three weeks of the season while coming off shoulder surgery. Four shortstops on the roster would be a longshot.
Just how many All-Star nods the Angels get would matter as well. Logan O’Hoppe could end up getting the backup catcher role behind the Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh. And Taylor Ward could be in the conversation for an outfield spot.
The Angels did have three All-Stars as recently as 2023, but those were Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Carlos Estevez.
That Neto could even get into the All-Star conversation is a feat after his shoulder injury during the last week of the 2024 season. But Manager Ron Washington is far from surprised.
“Well, I think a lot of it has to do with his work ethic,” Washington said. “I think a lot of it has to do with his attitude. I think a lot of it has to do with his commitment to this organization and to his teammates, and if you saw him in spring training, you’d have seen how committed he was, even though he wasn’t able to participate in activities we were doing.
“And all that he did since February to get to (this) point is the reason why he’s where he is today.”
ON HIS WAY
Outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. remains en route after the Angels acquired him from the San Francisco Giants on Sunday for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Wade is expected to arrive during the current series against the A’s.
While Wade does have 313 games of experience at first base, Washington said the 31-year-old will be a corner outfielder with the Angels.
“We certainly need a left-handed bat, and he has some very good reviews through the people we know,” Washington said. “… He gives us a quality baseball player and a quality person, period.”
After Wade batted .248 with a .767 OPS and 51 home runs in his first four seasons with the Giants, he was batting just .167 with a .546 OPS and one home run in 50 games this season before he was designated for assignment Wednesday.
MOVING PARTS
The Angels added right-hander Shaun Anderson to the bullpen, while right-hander Jose Fermin was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake one day after the rookie went a season-high 1⅔ scoreless innings with three strikeouts against the Seattle Mariners.
Anderson went 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA in five appearances earlier this season, including a May 18 outing against the Dodgers when he picked up the win after allowing one run over 2⅔ innings with three strikeouts.
To make room on the 40-man roster, left-hander, and Rule 5 claim, Garrett McDaniels was reinstated from the injured list and designated for assignment. McDaniels had a 5.91 ERA in 10 outings, experiencing a dip in velocity before he went on the IL in May with biceps tendinitis.
ALSO
Outfielder Jorge Soler had an MRI on his groin injury to determine the severity, with Washington saying, “we’re still gathering information.” The expectation is Soler will go on the IL when Wade is activated as early as Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Athletics (RHP Mitch Spence, 2-1, 4.09 ERA) at Angels (RHP Jose Soriano, 4-5, 4.11 ERA), Tuesday, 6:38 p.m., FDSN West, 830 AM, 710 AM