THE APEX TIMES
Even as Los Angeles prepares for major change, the club’s shortstop has produced steady value across the last three seasons and steadied himself after early struggles in 2026.
Heading into 2027, the Los Angeles Angels have plenty of issues to address following a 100-loss season for the first time in franchise history, but one internal answer appears clear: shortstop Zach Neto has been the team’s most consistent core piece at the position.
Neto, 25, has led the Angels in Wins Above Replacement in each of the last three seasons, posting 5.1 WAR in 2024, 5.3 WAR in 2025, and 5.2 WAR in 2026, according to Baseball-Reference as cited by MLB.
The 2026 season included a stretch where Neto said he did not feel right at the plate in the first half, a condition he linked to an impact on his defense and his overall approach. After the All-Star break, he said he started feeling like himself again, and he credited a greater emphasis on consistency from start to finish as the key to carrying that improvement forward.
MLB reported that Neto also benefited from meeting with interim general manager John Mozeliak in early August, after trade-deadline uncertainty created doubt for him. Mozeliak was described as focused on identifying problems and helping Neto regain his confidence, and the club’s interim GM later said Neto grew into a stronger leader as the season progressed.
Durability and in-season adjustment were central parts of the late-year turnaround. MLB reported that Neto played a career-high 157 games in 2026, improved his strikeout rate after the All-Star break (31.4% before the break, 29.2% after), and said his second-half defense improved as he felt more comfortable at the plate.