Angels Infielder Zach Neto Provides Update on Elbow Injury
The Angels can breathe a sigh of relief.
Two days after Zach Neto exited a game in Houston early because of an elbow injury, an MRI on the shortstop revealed that he is dealing with inflammation. Neto told reporters the good news Friday in Anaheim in advance of the Angels' weekend series against Cleveland.
Whenever a player injures his elbow, the first concern always centers around whether or not there is structural damage in the joint. Although surgery is not always necessary, any course of action in response to structural damage takes longer than the rehab process if no structural damage is present.
Neto told reporters after Wednesday's game in Houston that he did not believe the injury was serious. Fortunately, his initial diagnosis was correct.
After a trying April in which he slashed .239/.286/.380, Neto improved markedly in May. Through 20 games this month, he's slashing .279/.338/.515 with four home runs.
The 23-year-old is not in the lineup for Friday's series opener. Kyren Paris, whose first career home run was the decisive blow in Wednesday's game, is starting at shortstop in Neto's place.
Paris is hitting .138 (8 for 29) in 11 games this season.
The Angels (20-30) have won five of their last seven games coming into the homestand.