Red Sox see .771 OPS Angels shortstop as 'strong fit' in trade talks

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

Red Sox see .771 OPS Angels shortstop as 'strong fit' in trade talks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Red Sox are expected to be trade deadline buyers this summer after a massive 15-game win streak has brought them right back into contention in the AL Wild Card.

After looking like clear sellers at the start of the month, as July moved along, the Red Sox have stormed back into contention. Now, they're eyeing help at the deadline, with middle infield, especially shortstop, a top need.

Amid such a need, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic are reporting that the Red Sox believe that they're a "strong fit" for Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto in a trade. But such a deal is easier said than done.

Red Sox believe they're a 'strong fit' for Angels' Zach Neto​

"The Sox, after expressing interest in the Los Angeles Angels shortstop last offseason, continue to view him as a strong fit, according to people briefed on their discussions but granted anonymity to speak freely," Sammon and Rosenthal report.

While the willingness of the Angels to deal Neto isn't fully known, since John Mozeliak has taken over as general manager for the Angels, a path to a trade does seem a bit more feasible now than it did earlier in the year.

With the Red Sox looking like buyers for the August 3 trade deadline, Neto would be an obvious upgrade for the team's shaky shortstop position.

Trevor Story and Marcelo Mayer are out due to injury, and their current options aren't great. Neto would be an upgrade, and he'd also be a high-quality one at that.

MORE: Yankees send scouts to Cubs vs. Twins series amid trade interest in three players

This season, Neto has a .771 OPS with a 117 OPS+ in 395 at-bats with 2.7 bWAR, 94 hits, 69 runs scored, 21 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs, and 46 RBIs. He does have an almost 141 strikeouts, but his overall production makes up for his high K-rate.

Part of why Neto would cost so much is that the 25-year-old shortstop is under club control through the 2029 season.

He's a young player who plays a premium position and is under control for a while on cheap deals. There's not much more that needs to be said for why Neto will be expensive and difficult to trade for.

But the Red Sox, with this report from Rosenthal and Sammon indicating their belief that they'd be a strong fit for Neto in a trade, appear to be likely to try to acquire the star shortstop from Los Angeles this summer.

More MLB news:​

• Braves injury update on Spencer Strider has execs ‘pessimistic’ about a 2026 return
• Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani injury update essentially ends Cy Young chances
• White Sox have strong interest in Mets’ Clay Holmes with scout attending rehab assignment
• Phillies ‘would love’ to trade for Mets reliever Luke Weaver
• MLB execs believe Padres will trade Mason Miller at trade deadline

Continue reading...