Seattle Mariners Rival Loses Starting Shortstop Zack Neto to Surgery, Could Miss Part of 2025
The Los Angeles Angels have been incredibly active in the early days of the MLB offseason. First, they traded for slugging outfielder Jorge Soler and then traded for former top prospect Scott Kingery. They also signed longtime Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks to a one-year deal.
However, the offseason took a negative turn on Friday when it was announced that starting shortstop Zack Neto might miss the start of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Per Rhett Bollinger on social media:
SS Zach Neto had shoulder surgery on Wednesday and there's a chance he could miss the start of the season, GM Perry Minasian said. It's the shoulder he injured on a slide in Chicago late in the season.
#Angels SS Zach Neto had shoulder surgery on Wednesday and there's a chance he could miss the start of the season, GM Perry Minasian said. It's the shoulder he injured on a slide in Chicago late in the season.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) November 8, 2024
You never want to root for injury, and we wish Neto well in his recovery. However, it's a known fact that anything that makes the Angels worse is inheritantly good for the Seattle Mariners.
Neto hit .249 this past season with 23 homers and 30 stolen bases. He posted a 113 OPS+, making him an above average player for the M's rivals.
The Mariners did a good job holding him in check in 2024, as he hit just .194 against Seattle. He had just two home runs and five RBI against the M's in 13 games.
The Mariners famously went 5-8 against the Angels this year, which was a major reason why they missed the playoffs by 1.0 game for the second consecutive year.
The Mariners went 85-77 overall and finished second in the American League West.
Follow Inside the Mariners on social media
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on "X" @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the "Refuse to Lose" podcast by clicking HERE:
