As the Boston Red Sox continue their surprising push toward contention in 2026, the possibility of acquiring shortstop Zach Neto from the Los Angeles Angels has emerged as one of the more intriguing trade scenarios near the deadline.
From the Red Sox’s point of view, Neto would fill a massive need at shortstop and would also provide the lineup with a much-needed power bat.
Tim Boyle of FanSided recently outlined a package that could realistically get a deal done without surrendering the organization’s highest-ranked talent, Franklin Arias.
In Boyle’s proposed framework, Boston would send infielder Marcelo Mayer, right-handers Anthony Eyanson and Blake Wehunt, and catcher Johanfran Garcia to Anaheim in exchange for Neto. That group represents meaningful value, yet it still leaves the Red Sox with their most prized young player intact.
For a Red Sox team that has steadied itself after an uneven start and now sits among the stronger clubs in the American League, Neto’s combination of defensive reliability at shortstop and remaining years of control through 2029 carries obvious appeal.
The club has watched Mayer struggle to establish himself at the major-league level, and the opportunity to slot a proven everyday shortstop into the lineup while still retaining high-upside arms and a developing catcher could accelerate the current competitive window.
Of course, giving up four prospects is never painless. Mayer remains a former top prospect whose bat may still come around with more opportunity.
Eyanson’s early professional numbers have been eye-opening, and both Wehunt and Garcia offer organizational depth that is never easy to replace. Yet the Red Sox already possess depth elsewhere in the system, and the chance to add a player of Neto’s caliber without touching Arias softens the blow considerably.
Boston’s front office must weigh the long-term process against the tangible possibility of October baseball. The city has never been shy about demanding championships, and a roster that already looks capable of competing for the AL pennant would look even stronger with Neto anchoring the infield.
Whether the Angels ultimately accept such a package remains to be seen, but from the Red Sox perspective the outline Boyle presented feels like a sensible middle ground—one that keeps the franchise’s brightest long-term hope while giving the current club a meaningful upgrade at a critical position.
Neto is slashing .230/.320/.426 with 19 home runs and 47 RBI this season. He smashed 26 homers while driving in 62 runs a year ago.
The 25-year-old is under team control through 2029.
