The Angels and franchise shortstop Zach Neto worked out a $4.15MM arbitration settlement in January. That covered the first of four years of arbitration eligibility for the former first-round pick, who reached Super Two status this offseason.
If the sides discussed the possibility of any kind of longer-term deal, those talks apparently didn’t progress. Neto’s agent, Ryan Hamill of CAA, tells Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times that the Angels did not make any official long-term offers over the offseason. It’s unclear if the sides will have any conversations during Spring Training.
The Angels didn’t make any long-term commitments. All their free agent activity was limited to one year, with no individual player making more than $5MM. They also signed an atypically short one-year contract with new manager Kurt Suzuki (reportedly after talks with Albert Pujols about the job fell through).
It was a disappointing offseason for Halos fans who have endured the sport’s longest active playoff drought at 11 years. That was even before owner Arte Moreno’s baffling comments last week, in which he claimed that surveys indicated that “winning is not in (fans’) top five” concerns when attending games. Even if one believed that to be true of the fanbase, it’s a bizarre statement for an owner to make on the record, knowing it’ll get the attention of the players and coaches.
Neto told Shaikin he “really (doesn’t) have an answer to that” when asked if Moreno’s comments would be a concern for him in extension talks. However, he spoke broadly about valuing loyalty and said he’d be amenable to a long-term deal. “If it happens, it happens. I would love to stay here. I would love to be here. But, if it doesn’t, then not every road is meant to be.”
That may all be a moot point. The Angels terminated their local television deal with Main Street Sports this offseason, subtracting an important revenue source. MLB is handling their in-market distribution this year. Neto is coming off consecutive seasons that Baseball Reference valued around five wins above replacement. He’s on track to hit free agency at 29. There’s a decent chance it’d take a $200MM+ offer if the Angels wanted to buy out multiple free agent years.
Neto will be a fixture in the middle of the diamond for the next few seasons in either case. There’s far less certainty around him around the infield dirt. The Halos brought back Yoán Moncada on a one-year, $4MM deal to work as the primary third baseman. Christian Moore is the favorite at second base, where Vaughn Grissom, Denzer Guzman and non-roster invitees Nick Madrigal and Adam Frazier could all be in the mix.
Moore, the eighth overall pick in 2024, played 411 2/3 innings at the keystone as a rookie. He has been a full-time second baseman in pro ball and for the majority of his college career at Tennessee. The Angels gave Moore four innings at third base after subbing Moncada out of Saturday’s game.
Suzuki told reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register) that Moore could get a start at the hot corner while Moncada is playing for Cuba at the World Baseball Classic. They’d ideally expand the second-year infielder’s versatility, which could make it easier to carry a veteran second baseman like Frazier or Madrigal on the bench.
In one bit of injury news, offseason trade pickup Josh Lowe is battling what appears to be minor soreness in his left oblique (via the MLB.com injury tracker). Lowe said he’ll miss a few days but doesn’t anticipate it threatening his availability for Opening Day. The right oblique has given Lowe problems over the past two seasons, so it’s a relief that the current issue on the opposite side.
Moreno is such a colossal embarrassment
He really squandered the luckiest run in the league with Trout and Sho and has zero responsbility.
Arte sucks. There isn’t enough room here to list all the reasons why.
No effort at all to extend Neto just adds to the list.
Everything Moreno has done, or hasn’t done, is in anticipation of a strike/lock out this winter. He will step over a dollar to save a nickel.
Exactly.
Actually the Halos have a decent young core if they can continue to progress and stay healthy this season. Hopefully, after the new CBA, the team can start adding veteran pieces to bring about a competitive team. I see this season as developmental—probably 70 wins—and I am prepared for that. And, Perry should trade veterans for fitting pieces at the trade deadline. BUT, after the CBA, anything other than several MAJOR free agent expenditures WILL BE unacceptable.
The fact that you even had the energy to write this is incredible.
Not even being sarcastic. Good for you, a true fan.
Hopefully they don’t disappoint you
Arte probably needs to stay away from the beer kiosks before doing any interviews
$200m?
Arte Moreno is a very ugly man. He’s also been rumored to be selling the team for almost 5 years. Thankfully, he retired having Arthur Blank’s mustache taped to his upper lip.
I could live with the Angels not reaching the playoffs if I was confident in the teams management/direction and optimistic about the future. Alas, Moreno and Carpino have sucked the life out of the organization and many of its fans.
It’s a shame and honestly embarrassing that Arte Moreno still hasn’t had a single real conversation with Ryan Hamill, the agent for Zach Neto, about a long‑term contract. According to the L.A. Times, Moreno and Hamill haven’t discussed any kind of extension, not even the framework of one.
How do you look at your best young shortstop a guy who plays hard, plays hurt, and actually gives a damn and just… ignore the future?
This is exactly how you end up watching Zach Neto get traded a few years down the road. Arte Moreno doesn’t recognize what he has. He has no desire to win, no long‑term vision, and still runs this franchise like a billboard company, not a baseball team.
And people wonder why top free agents avoid Anaheim. Why would they come here? The whole point of sports is winning. Players want October baseball. Players want a shot at a ring. Players want an owner who actually cares about building a contender.
Right now, the Angels don’t have that.
And until that changes, nothing else will. This is the owner that let Shohei Ohtani slipped through his fingers the cash cow. That will be on. Arte Moreno tombstone.