It will be some time before Mike Trout and Zach Neto appear together in the Los Angeles Angels lineup. Trout is not only healthy, but he hit a home run in Wednesday’s 9-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Trout will return to the field on March 27 against the lowly Chicago White Sox, assuming no further injuries.
We can’t say the same about Neto, the Angels’ 13th pick in 2022. Neto underwent offseason shoulder surgery after injuring himself against the White Sox last September. Angels manager Ron Washington revealed to reporters Thursday that Neto will miss the start of the season. However, Washington declared that Neto’s recovery is ahead of plan.
“It may be soon after, but I don’t think it’s gonna be Opening Day,” Mr. Washington remarked. “And when I say soon after, it could be a week, two weeks, or a month,” Washington said, according to the Angels’ official website. “But we want him to keep making progress. “We’re not going to force it.” Last season, Neto hit.249 with 23 home runs, 70 RBI, 34 doubles, and 30 stolen bases in 155 games. He quietly posted 5.1 bWAR for an Angels team that suffered a club record 99 loses.
Will Trout and Neto end the Angels’ decade-long playoff drought? Probably not. The Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers are the AL West’s three playoff contenders. Who knows what happened to the franchise that was previously known as the Oakland Athletics? Still, an Angels lineup that includes Trout and Neto sounds preferable to one without either star. Given the Angels’ numerous troubles over the last 15 years, they should take modest triumphs wherever they can find them.
